March 1- April 30, 2019 Justice. Liberty. Fraternity. Equality www.dalitpost.com Sex-for-food allegations in Mozambique More than 1,000 people died and tens of thousands were forced from their homes when Cyclone Idai hammered Mozambique before moving inland to Malawai and Zimba- Post bawe..... - page 12

2019 Elections Special Double Digest Is heading for a SC raps RBI with final mid-term Lok Sabha poll? warning... - page 2

Bihar’s caste engineering played out to the full... - page 8 All indications suggest the BJP will lose a large number of seats in the Lok Sabha 2019 polls, though, ending up as a single largest party relying enormously on alliance partners with contradictory ideologies to form a government that could collapse in 2022 or so... -page 4 Dalit MP Quits, Caste makes LS 2019 polls to decide says BJP anti-Dalit contest in KAR even.... fate of democracy... Indian laborers in Gabon being abused... - page 11 -page 16 -page 18 -page 23

Dalit-Muslim New pact causes ‘chowkidars’ Haryana moms worry for courtesy lead from BJP- cattle the front in in Maharashtra menace... sons’ fight.. - page 13 - Quaid Nazmi -page 9 - Anand Singh -page 12 Much, Much More Inside! For free private circulation Current affairs... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 2 SC raps RBI in final warning Delhi Govt in the The Supreme Court has close information under the dock over NFSA given the RBI “one last Right to Information (RTI) The Delhi High Court pulled up taken. There is no functional State opportunity” to disclose Act. the state government for its lacka- Food Commission in Delhi,” the annual inspection reports The petitioners had daisical approach on the National petition said. of banks as it just stopped claimed that RBI and its Food Security Act (NFSA) and Proper implementation of the short of issuing a contempt former Governor Urjit Patel asked the concerned senior official NFSA is crucial to ensure food notice against RBI Gover- had “willfully and delib- of the Food Supplies and Consum- security for the poor and the mar- nor Shaktikanta Das, and erately” disobeyed the top er Affairs Department to appear ginalized, the organization said. ordered the Reserve Bank court’s judgment asking before it on May 9, the next date A Division Bench of Chief of India to disclose the will- the central bank to disclose fixed for the hearing. Justice Rajendra Menon and Jus- ful defaulters’ list under the information under the RTI The court order came on the tice Anup Jairam Bhambhani on Right To Information Act. Act. Delhi government’s reply sought Friday said that it was completely The top court also ordered The court rejected the conten- in a contempt petition filed by the dissatisfied by the Delhi govern- the central bank to withdraw its “It is sad to say that tion of the apex bank and others Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan. ment’s reply. non-disclosure policy, which the that its (top court’s) December 16, In its main petition, the organiza- It noted that the government’s court concluded is in violation of our Prime Minister, in 2015 judgment needs reconsidera- tion sought disbursal of subsidized reply showed that the grievance the apex court’s judgment in 2015. a cynical manner, is tion saying “We are not persuaded food grains to beneficiaries under redressal and accountability rules Taking a serious view of the taking advantage of to accept the submission ... that the the NFSA without Aadhaar cards. had not been promulgated, more continued defiance, the court came judgment dated 16.12.2015 requires Under the NFSA, five kgs of than five years after the law was down heavily asking the RBI to the emotions and sen- reconsideration as we cannot con- food grains per person is provid- passed and 19 months after the make full disclosure of its annual timents of the public sider the said submission while de- ed each month at Rs 1-3 per kg to Delhi High Court order. inspection reports on the financial to gain political mile- ciding the contempt petitions.” over 80 crore people. “The government’s affida- health of banks, including position age in the backdrop The two petitioners sought ini- On September 1, 2017, the vit shows that the file regarding of NPAs, and also withdraw its dis- tiation of contempt of court action High Court directed the Delhi framing of rules has just been closure norms as it came in the way of terror attacks” against former Governor for not government to frame rules and transferred between various de- of making public informations on disclosing information as directed operationalize all provisions of the partments and ministries, with no the state of banks under the RTI. by the top court. NFSA in a time-bound manner. concrete action taken,” the bench A bench of Justice L. Nag- body Reserve Bank of India could One of the contempt petitions In its contempt petition, the observed. eswara Rao and Justice M.R. Shah not withhold information on de- filed by Girish Mittal said that RBI NGO said that the Delhi govern- It also noted that the concerned said the banks are “duty bound to faulters, losses and alleged illegal- refused to provide information ment had not complied with the officer of the Food Supplies and furnish all information relating to ities of the banks by invoking the sought about the inspection reports order till date. “It has not framed Consumer Affairs Department had inspection reports and other mate- exception under the Right to Infor- of some banks. rules for implementing the griev- failed to attend the hearing. Taking rial apart from the material that was mation Act. In December 2015, the petition- ance redress and accountability strict note of the non-compliance, exempted in para 77 of the judge- “The ideal of ‘Government by er under the RTI Act had sought provisions under the NFSA and the court ordered the officer to ap- ment. Any further violation shall the people’ makes it necessary that certain information which included no social audit have been under- pear before it on May 9. be viewed seriously by this Court.” people have access to information copies of inspection reports of ICICI Pronouncing the judgment, Jus- on matters of public concern. The Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and tice Nageswara Roa said, “Though free flow of information about af- State Bank of India from April 2011 we could have taken a serious view fairs of Government paves the way till December 2015. Biggest man of the Respondents (RBI and the for debate in public policy and fos- The petitioner had also sought Banks) continuing to violate the ters accountability in Government. copies of case files with file notings management exercise directions issued by this Court, It creates a condition for ‘open gov- on various irregularities detected we give them a last opportunity to ernance’ which is a foundation of by RBI in case of Sahara Group of withdraw the disclosure policy inso- democracy”, the bench of Justice companies and erstwhile Bank of far as it contains exemptions which M.Y.EqbalAand Justice C. Nagap- Rajasthan by these entities them- are contrary to the directions issued pan (since both retired) had said in selves and their known/unknown by this Court.” their 2015 judgment. promoters. Referring to paragraph 77 of the The RBI, as per 2015 judgment, However, RBI denied the infor- December 16, 2015 judgment, the was supposed to disclose the annual mation in January 2016 that such court said that the only exception audit report of the banks, status of information is exempted under that was carved out by the top court NPAs and action taken there on. Section 8(1)(e) of the RTI Act and in its 2015 judgment was relating to The top court by its 2015 order Section 45NB of the Reserve Bank the disclosure of information having had asked the RBI to share informa- of India Act. bearing on “security of the State.” tion on the annual audit of the banks The petitioners contended that Referring to the new disclosure including on NPAs under the Right top court in 2016 while directing policy that was uploaded by the to Information Act. disclosure of a very similar type of RBI on April 12, 2019 replacing However, this was stalled after information sought under the RTI With a record number of two lakh highest ever number of Indians the earlier policy of November 30, RBI introduced disclosure norms Act had observed RBI is clearly not pilgrims from India set to perform will perform Haj this year. 2016, the court said, “The respond- that blocked the disclosure of in- in any fiduciary relationship with Haj this year, efforts are on to or- Officials in Haj Committee ents (banks) in our opinion, have formation on the financial health of any bank. ganize the required manpower for said that with the increase in Haj committed contempt of this court the banks under the RTI. An RTI The petitioners argued that the the biggest man management ex- quota this year, all the applicants by exempting disclosure of materi- activist Subhash Chander Agrawal responses of RBI are in complete ercise undertaken by India outside from states like Uttar Pradesh, al that was directed to be given by had moved the top court seeking violation of the top court judgment its border, officials said. West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra this court.” contempt action against RBI Gov- by which it was held that RBI ought The Ministry of Minority Af- Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal However, it recorded the sub- ernor for not complying with its to act with transparency and not fairs will depute 638 officials to Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab and mission by RBI that the new policy 2015 judgment. hide information that might em- Jeddah while the Consulate Gen- Tripura will go on Haj. would be deleted from its website. Girish Mittal and Agrawal had barrass individual banks and it is eral will engage an equal number The Haj Committee had re- The top court by its December moved the top court for contempt duty bound to comply with the pro- of personnel temporarily. ceived over 3.55 lakh applications 16, 2015, judgment had said that action against the RBI not comply- visions of the RTI Act and disclose With Saudi Arabia increasing from across the country and 1.75 banks and their apex regulatory ing with the court’s direction to dis- the information sought. India’s Haj quota by 25,000, the lakh were selected. Current affairs... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 3 Probe into UP sugar mills Naidu threatens EC divestment scam begins with cost overrun The Central Bureau of In- Two of them, identified recovery vestigation (CBI) has regis- as Rakesh Sharma and tered a case in the alleged his wife Suman Sharma, sugar mills disinvestment belong to Delhi’s Rohini, scam in Uttar Pradesh dur- while one Dharmendra ing the tenure of former Gupta hails from Indirapu- Chief Minister Mayawati, ram, Ghaziabad in Uttar an official said. Pradesh. The agency registered Four other private per- the FIR to probe the alleged sons identified as Saurabh irregularities in the disin- Mukund, Mohd. Javed, vestment of 21 sugar mills Mohd. Naseem Ahmed and that included seven closed mills, the during their investigation, said the Mohd. Vazjd are residents of Saha- official said. CBI FIR. ranpur district in the state. The FIR mentions that 11 sugar The alleged irregularities were The CBI has also registered six mills were sold out during 2010-11. committed with a “criminal intent” preliminary enquiries in connection Mayawati was the Chief Min- in the entire sale proceedings of 21 with the case. ister of the state from 2007 to 2012. sugar mills by the Uttar Pradesh The FIR was registered based Angry over the Election Commis- review the departments was sur- It is alleged that forged docu- Sugar Corporation Ltd, the FIR on a request made by state Princi- sion preventing him from holding prising and shocking and alleged ments were submitted by the pur- said. pal Secretary (Home) on April 12, review meetings on ongoing pro- that the CEO was exceeding his chaser of the seven closed sugar The FIR named seven individu- 2018, and a Central government jects, Chief Min- jurisdiction. mills in Deoria, Bareilly, Laxmi- als on charges of cheating, forgery, notification dated February 22. The ister N. Chandrababu indirectly “Comments by CEO were ab- ganj, Hardoi, Ramkola, Chittauni using forged documents as genuine, case was earlier registered by the threatened the poll body with legal surd and arbitrary and also belittle and Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, falsification of accounts and contra- state police on November 7, 2017 action to recover cost overrun. relevance and primacy of political as reported by the Serious Fraud vention of provisions of the Compa- and the investigation was being Stepping up his attack on the governance in a democratic poli- Investigation Organisation (SFIO) nies Act 1956. done by Lucknow police. Election Commission, Naidu al- ty.” leged that it was usurping powers Naidu also took strong excep- of a democratically elected gov- tion to the CEO directing Addi- ernment. tional Director General (Intelli- Previous MP and Rajasthan In a nine-page letter to the EC, gence) not to report to the Chief the (TDP) Minister and wondered if Direc- government let voters down: ADR lashed out at the poll body saying tor (IB) and National Security it was intentionally paralysing the Advisor were are also prohibited The previous BJP govern- “In addition, the govern- state administration. from functioning under the Prime ment in Madhya Pradesh, led ment has performed poorly Stating that the review of on- Minister. by , on better roads (1.88) and traf- going projects like Polavaram and “Have you issued similar or- performed “poorly and under fic congestion (1.96) in urban construction of the new capital city ders in other states? If not, why whelmingly” on almost all Madhya Pradesh,” the report was required for completing of the this discriminating orders in case governance parameters, in- said. works in a time-bound manner, of the chief minister of Andhra cluding employment, health- Similarly, the performance Naidu said the Election Commis- Pradesh?” care facilities and agriculture of Rajasthan government is sion would be solely responsible The TDP chief pointed out infrastructure, according to a “below average” on most of for the cost overrun and loss of that Prime Minister and also Chief report by the Association for voter concerns, including em- time of these projects. Minister in continued Democratic Reforms (ADR). ployment, healthcare, and law “The people of Andhra to hold review meetings of the de- The survey released was and order,). Pradesh reserve the right to recov- partments. conducted between October and tricity for agriculture, the govern- The election watchdog’s “Ra- er the cost overrun amounts from Stating that seven people died December 2018 in the state then ment scored 1.96 on a scale of 5 on jasthan Survey 2018” says the gov- all concerned personally who in thunderbolts last week, Naidu ruled by the Bharatiya employment, 1.81 on farm product ernment also performed “poorly” in come in the way of timely comple- said this could have been averted (BJP), before it was replaced by the prices and 1.81 on availability of providing better roads, and fertiliz- tion of these projects by initiating if the democratically elected gov- in December last year. electricity for agriculture, the re- ers and seeds to farmers. appropriate legal proceedings,” he ernment was allowed to function. The Madhya Pradesh Survey port said. Across the state, major voter wrote. “Who is responsible for these Report 2018 stated that voters’ “In addition, the government concerns were employment oppor- Naidu told the poll panel that deaths?” asked Naidu and said priorities were neglected by the has performed poorly on providing tunities (66.76 per cent), healthcare since there was a gap of nearly many critical issues require urgent government. “This is quite clear agriculture subsidy for seeds/ fertil- (43.13 per cent), and law and order six weeks between the conclusion attention of the government and from the fact that the government isers (1.66 out of 5) and availability (42.41 per cent), according to the of the elections and counting of cannot be postponed till May 23. has performed poorly and under- of water for agriculture (1.67) in ru- survey. votes, it was not constitutionally He reiterated that the Election whelmingly on all top ten govern- ral Madhya Pradesh,” it added. In rural areas, the top priorities and legally correct to deprive the Commission failed to conduct the ance issues as rated by the voters of According to the survey, em- were employment (66 per cent), people of the state the right to be the elections properly, depriving Madhya Pradesh,” said the ADR ployment, healthcare and better better crop prices (54 per cent) and governed by their democratically many people of their right to vote. report. roads were major concerns for ur- healthcare (41 per cent), and the gov- elected government for five years. Naidu wrote that in his 40-year- It said that employment, higher ban voters. ernment performed below average He said since the electorate long political career he never saw price realization for farm products “The performance of the gov- on all these counts, it says. exercised their franchise, the poll an election which was so badly and better healthcare facilities were ernment on urban voters’ priorities Employment (69 per cent), panel had no jurisdiction to stop conducted, logistically misman- top priorities for voters and the of better employment opportunities public transport (50 per cent) and any review meeting by him or aged and poorly organised. government performed “below av- (1.88 on a scale of 5), better hospi- healthcare (47 per cent) continued briefing by the officers. Elections to 175-member As- erage” on all three. tals/ primary healthcare centres to be the major concerns for the ur- Naidu said the Chief Electoral sembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats In rural areas, where another (1.85), and better law and order was ban voters but the state government Officer’s comments that the Chief in the state were held in a single concern was availability of elec- rated as below average. offered little on these, too. Minister did not have powers to phase on April 11. Cover story... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 4 Is India heading for a mid-term Lok Sabha poll? Four phases of polling are over. Sur- Gandhi also did not display choleric veys reports that the first three have qualities required to lead the party gone in favor of the Congress and and connect with the electorate, fur- What has been the single biggest its allies. Survey reports about the ther compounded by average com- fourth phase are not yet in. Irrespec- munication skills. failure of the Modi Government? tive of these surveys and pre-election Into such a state of affairs came polls, most of which favor the BJP , riding on a conjured to win over 225 seats, the reality is image of being a development man that the BJP currently stand with its even though Gujarat was behind back to the wall, facing a loss of ma- many other states in most social jority by losing over 100 seats, even and economic indicators. With his as much as 130 seats in total as com- crass rhetoric skills, he convinc- pared to 2014. Its own promises of ingly promised voters Acche Din, the moon coupled with inefficiency, massive development, prosperity, major policy blunders and blatant Hindu pride and even Rs 15 Lakh disregard for the law and democracy in the bank account of every citizen. Mood of the nation Survey -India Today have come to haunt the party. Modi offered hope to the electorate, -Oliver D’Souza being the largest ever defence crony delivered by the BJP and therefore Contrary to many who say so, the particularly the youth and the mid- capitalism scam in India. the consolidation of these votes as BJP did not get a landslide victory in dle-class. Added to this, the BJP was When it comes to the farming a Hindu vote has fallen has fallen 2014 only because of consolidation able to overcome caste barriers and “BJP defeat is not and agricultural sectors, these are apart. In addition in various states of the Hindu vote and Modi’s make consolidate a significant number of about how many seats in the doldrums. Farmers are upset like UP, the Brahmins have been believe image of a development man, castes as a Hindu vote by means of it will lose; it is about with the government, demonstrated sidelined making them upset with though these were important aspects communalism and alliances. losing its majority by the numerous farmer agitations Modi and Shah. As influence-rs that led to its victory. An important role was also and protests in the last 5 years, and by Brahmins can do damage to the BJP Rather, the BJP got 282 seats be- played by the corporate sector, most- status even if it comes the skyrocketing number of farmer electorally. cause of many factors in play at the ly the Gujarati one with a pro quid back as head of the suicides around the country. With all of these negatives time. The first was anti-incumbency pro arrangement with the BJP. So al- NDA, much weakened Meanwhile, the lower castes and lined up against the BJP, it would made worse by corruption scandals so a large section of the audio visual at that, setting the minorities have been at the receiving be self-deception to think of BJP that hit the UPA. The Congress-led and print media was bought, while scene for a mid-term end of the BJP’s Hindutva agenda returning to power as it did in 2014 UPA had been in power for 10 long the segment of it owned by corpo- which seeks to subjugate and mar- as a majority government. Elections years which, in retrospect were far rates who see profits in siding with poll in which the BJP ginalize them. The tribals have seen in the Hindi heartland and Gujarat better years than the BJP’s last 5 the BJP and Modi were at its disposal will be decimated” the government usurp their histori- have already shown otherwise and years, yet anti-incumbency stepped as is also the case now. cal and Constitutional forest rights. the trend is only going to intensify. in. That’s the nature of politics. The most important fact, how- Modi’s false promises of 2 Crore Women have never had it worse, Modi had 5 full years with no wor- What made things easier for ever, was that the change that the jobs. Meanwhile, fuel and commod- with oppression of women hitting ries of problems with allies to deliver the BJP was the alleged 2 G scam, Indian electorate was going through ity prices have shot up enormously, all time highs in the last 5 years. on his promises. He and the BJP will which was later exposed to be a from the 2004 elections, continued. the treasury is bankrupt, national In the North-East, about whose now be held accountable. lie perpetrated by the Auditor and Across the nation, people voted more debt has tripled and development at political conquest the BJP boasts, With the revolting vote split ac- Comptroller General of India in col- with economic welfare in mind than best is retarded except in a few areas voters are turning away from the cruing to a resurgent Congress and lusion with the BJP, for which he got entirely on the basis of caste and re- such as surface transport. party after it started forcing the Citi- strong regional alliances and parties, a governorship in return. Fuel was ligion. That is why a percentage of With this going on in the econo- zenship Bill in the region. the question, therefore, is not whether added to fire by the India Against Muslims voted for the BJP, just as my, there is also widespread unrest The BJP’s own desperate actions the BJP is heading for a defeat. The Corruption (IAC) campaign of so- various competing castes, such as the in every district in India largely due initiated after its defeat in the Hindi question is how much will the BJP cial activist Anna Hazare, which too OBC and dalit castes, did the same. to the BJP’s efforts to communalize heartland, such as the PM-Kisan lose? 100 seats? 125 seats? has been exposed to be an outcome Significantly, BJP came to power the population for political aims. scheme, the 10% reservation for For the BJP, however, defeat is of collusion between the BJP-RSS with the lowest percentage of votes This has led to severe law and order upper castes aimed at the urban and not about losing the elections alto- and Anna Hazare. The man is now ever for a majority government. problems that affect peoples normal semi-urban and middle class vote gether against the Congress because seen flying around in corporate jets But 2019 is not 2014. Much wa- lives and industry. The government that is moving away from it reveals that is unlikely i.e. Congress getting owned by those linked to the BJP, ter has flown under the bridge dur- has also openly attempted to com- the displeasure of these voter base more seats than the BJP. Instead, it is while failing to utter a single word ing the last 5 years. Modi has been promise Constitutional institutions, with Modi. Seeing no change in voter about losing its majority status even against all the corruption of the BJP, exposed to be incompetent, inca- including the judiciary, and has been sympathy after these moves, the op- if it comes back as head of the NDA, including the Rafale scam and VY- pable, anti-democratic, divisive and brazenly using state institutions and portunity presented by Pulwama saw much weakened, its hands tied by PAM scam, among others. destructive for the nation. The same machinery, including the defence it extremely politicizing national se- alliance partners. If the BJP loses The situation was bad for the largely goes for most of his ministers. forces, as political tools. People have curity, followed by the foolhardy test what many psephologists predict - Congress also due to a slowing Added to this, the economy is in not taken to this kindly. of satellite targeting capability that the around 100 seats - it will put paid to economy, price rises and a depre- the doldrums, thanks to Demoneti- At the same time BJP’s assumed country had already achieved in 2012, its dominance and will entrench Ra- ciating rupee. Then there were the zation, whose real purpose is still a high moral ground of anti-corrup- indicating that the BJP itself sees seri- hul Gandhi for the long-term in the aspirations of youth, a large number mystery. The poorly rolled out GST tion has disappeared with a number ous trouble with voters. This trouble absence of any crowd pulling leader of them being first time voters, with too created severe problems for busi- of scams taking place in BJP ruled becomes particularly evident consid- after Modi. the Congress manifesto providing nesses, especially the millions of states such as MP, Rajasthan and ering that the BJP is no more talking More importantly, if a substan- very little for them. The story was small businesses, many going bank- Maharashtra, even as the Rafale about Achhe Din and Development tially weakened BJP returns to pow- no different with the middle-class. rupt. Simultaneously, the rupee has scam links Modi with the corrupt. that brought it to power in 2014 and er at the mercy of allies and others as The final nail in the UPA coffin been on an un-arrested slide, even as Because of the government’s is instead peddling a twisted version part of NDA, the indication is also came when Sonia Gandhi handed growth in various sectors, including extreme pro-business policies at the of nationalism along with Hindutva. that BJP’s demonstrated incompe- over the election campaign over to manufacturing, is on an average far expense of the poor and of state in- In all of this there is also the caste tence, narrow vision, arrogance and a then inexperienced Rahul Gandhi lower than during the UPA tenure. stitutions such as BSNL and ONGC, factor. For electoral gain the BJP has undemocratic functioning could lead who discarded most of the senior and Unemployment, despite the govern- it is widely also being seen as a gov- been playing with caste combination to the collapse of the NDA by end long-time strategist of the Congress ment’s efforts to hide job data, is re- ernment for the rich. The crony cap- specifically using the OBCs, SCs of 2022 or so, bringing the UPA to in exchange for a group of leaders vealed to be at the lowest in 45 years, italism of the BJP at national costs and STs under the promise of Achhe power, or perhaps, even instating a who were not upto the job. Rahul leaving youth disillusioned with the is in the open, with the Rafale scam Din. The Achhe din have not been majority Congress government. Cover story... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 5 What will be the 2019 Lok Sabha elections tally?

Peoples Post Desk of which way the votes will mostly MP, the BJP is slated to lose over 77 roads into the NE, the row over the evidence, and the unspoken seat ar- One of the biggest fallout of the go in Lok Sabha elections in 2019. seats in tne minimum. Citizenship Bill has alienated large rangements by parties opposed to the media being co-opted by the BJP is With 2014 as a base year, using a Even in the other Hindi heart- swathes of voters in the region from BJP have not be factored in. The pre- that one has simply lost faith in opin- mean average of vote share gained or land states of Himachal Pradesh, it. Since the problem is a regional vailing conclusion that the Balakot ion polls and voter surveys conduct- lost in preceding assembly elections Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Bi- issue created by the BJP at the cen- strikes and nationalism will add to ed by the media, as also their news. and the ratio of seat and vote share har, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and tre, the ire of the people is directed the BJP’s kitty too is erroneous Most polls and surveys are predict- difference, along with the Mood of the Chandigarh, the BJP is poised to against the BJP. The Congress, on the other hand ing unrealistic seats for the BJP. The Nation surveys conducted by lose significantly than gain because The UPA alliances will further is likely to increase its tally to over The situation is made worse by past CSDS and India Today separately, of incumbency problems and also cause BJP to lose more seats in Ma- 100 seats, even going up to 125-140 history of most pre and post-election we get the clear picture that the BJP because of tribal and low caste anger harashtra and Assam, while making seats. Regional parties and others predictions and surveys being hugely will certainly lose a lot many seats. against the BJP over various issues a few gains in Orissa. will be the kingmakers with over wrong. It is only few reliable surveys In 2018 MP assembly elections, including forest land rights and atroc- In Karnataka, the Congress-JDS 200+ seats. combined with the historical voting BJP’s vote share loss was 3.88%, ities. Some of these are states domi- alliance will cause more losses BJP. trends in various elections preceding garnering 41 % of the vote. In 2014 nated by the tribals, the others by low In the remaining Southern states, Projected seat range: Lok Sabha election, along with some Lok Sabha elections, its vote share castes and OBCs who are angry with BJP is likely to remain static or even BJP common sense, that gives us a gen- was 54%. An average of the vote the BJP. The urban and semi-urban lose some seats it currently holds. uine idea of the outcome of the 2019 share of the BJP in 2013 and 2014 is The UTs and Goa too are likely 180 maximum (+ - 5) Lok Sabha elections. 49.5%. With 41% in 2017, the loss is “The prevailing to see BJP losing more seats. Among the more reliable met- 8.5%. If 2014 is taken as base year to In the best case scenario, the 120 minimum (+ - 5) rics for predicting which way the calculate the rate of loss in vote share, assumption that BJP is unlikely to cross 180 seats AVG 150 (+ - 10) Lok Sabha elections will go, is the it works out to around 2.12 % loss the Balakot strikes in the maximum. Other factors voting trend in assembly elections each year. So by May 2019, the BJP and nationalism that could negatively affect the BJP, Congress in India. The party that has won would have lost 9.6% of the vote. will add to the BJP’s such as its communalism and social the state elections held within a two In 2014, BJP got 27 seats with kitty is erroneous” suppression, have not yet been suf- year period before Lok Sabha elec- a 54% vote share. A difference of ficiently gauged through surveys 160 maximum (+ - 5) tions ends up getting proportionately 20% vote share as compared to the and research. The impact of NYAY 100 minimum (+ - 5) more seats and vote share in the Lok Congress, accounted for 27 seats for vote too has swung away from the scheme, the effect of the Rafale AVG 130 (+ - 10) Sabha. There have been some rare the BJP. In 2019, with a loss of 9.6 BJP towards the Congress as seen in scam after the Supreme Court ac- aberrations but these are an excep- %, BJP is slated to lose 7 seats in the MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh. cepted documents published by The tion rather than a rule. minimum in MP. Similarly, in Bihar, despite its Hindu about the scam as admissible For instance, the BJP won MP, Applying the same method to alliance with the JD(U), the BJP is Rajasthan and Chattisgarh in 2013. states where the contest is between likely to lose seats rather than add to In 2013, it won 49 seats (out of 90) in Congress and BJP, in Rajasthan, its existing tally. National and state Chhattisgarh, 165 (out of 230) seats with a loss of 9.3% vote share, BJP The BJP is counting to off-set its in MP, and 163 (out of 200) in Ra- will lose 11 seats in the minimum. losses in these ten states by gains in issues overlap this time jasthan. At the assembly constituen- In Chattisgarh, the BJP is slat- NE, Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, People’s Post Desk cy level in 2014 general election, the ed to lose a minimum of 8 seats. In Orissa and South India. But this is BJP won 192, 72, and 180 in Madhya Gujarat, it will lose 11 seats in the wishful thinking. It is generally aseen that voters in In- al as local because these issues have Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh minimum. In W Bengal, apart from the in- dia vote differently during Lok Sa- affected citizens in every state down respectively. These results predicted As it is a straightforward con- creased number of 211 seats and 6% baha and State assembly elections. to the gram panchayat level. No ex- what was coming in 2014. test between the two in these states, increase in vote share in 2016 assem- People vote on local issues in the as- ceptions. Even in the NE, wehere the In the 2018 Assembly elections BJP’s loss will be Congress gains. bly elections, Trinamool Congress sembly elections and national issues Citizenship Bill takes the number in these three states, which gave BJP BJP is set to lose over 37 seats in won 95% of zilla parishad seats, 90% in Lok Sabha Elections. one spot, these issues are the most 22% of the seats it won in 2014 Lok these 4 states to the Congress. of panchayat samiti seats and 73% of This time, though, apart from important ones. Sabha elections, it lost power in all Formal and informal alliances of gram panchayat seats that went for the NE, where the major issue is a In the 2018 assembly elections three states. The Congress won 116 opposition parties in various states polling in 2018. The 3.4% increase regional one - the Citizenship bill-, in the Hindi heartland, which is the of 230 and the BJP 109 in MP, in Ra- will further cause losses for the BJP. in BJP’s vote share was 7% less than elsewhere in the country state issues epicentre of BJP’s support base, jasthan it won 116 of 200 and 68 of In UP, it is slated to lose as much as its vote share in Lok Sabha 2014 and and national issues are the same. it is these very issues in the urban, 90 in Chattisgarh. The BJP won 109, 40 seats. Apart from the vote share it has come at the expense of CPM, The recent Mood Of The Nation semi-urban, semi-rural and rural 73 and 15 seats in MP, Rajasthan and advantage of the SP-BSP alliance, whereas the Congress increased its survey of India Today reveals that the areas that caused defeat for the BJP. Chattisgarh respectively. In 2013, it according to a C-Voter survey, only vote share by 3.2%. The local body four major issues of concern for the Despite its frantic efforts to arrest the had won 165, 162 and 42 seats in MP, 43.9 percent voters in UP are satis- elections, do not bespeak of BJP people are lack of jobs, massive price loss of its voters, which have been too Rajasthan and Chattisgarh respec- fied with Modi’s performance. achieving anything more other than rise, farmer/agricultural distress and late in the day and seen as elecdtion- tively. All things remaining the same Put together, between Gujarat, retaining its 2 seats. demonetization. eering, the voting trend across the na- till May 2019, this is a part predictor MP, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, UP and Although the BJP has made in- These issues are as much nation- tion is likely to follow the same trend. Cover story... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 6

There is no denying that the rural tribals who have been at the receiv- vote has substantially gone away ing end of the BJP government’s from the BJP as seen in the 2018 as- Rural India will determine BJP tally communal and casteist policies. sembly elections in the Hindi heart- People’s Post Desk With the government failing land. without saying that the creased input costs, with to correct the situation concerning In MP, the BJP rural seat tally vote of the non-farming the last 5 years being char- farmers, more or less the same trend came down to 84 seats in 2018 from sector in the rural areas, acterized by high price ris- will pan out across India in the rural 122 in 2013. On the other hand, the such as that of laborers, es across the board includ- areas. With the national average of Congress upped its rural seat tally to also voted against the BJP ing farming inputs such as those doing agriculture being 47%, 95 from 56 in the same time period. as. Without such vote the fertilizer and fuel, making there is no good news for the BJP In Rajasthan, the BJP came BJP could not have lost 38 farming especially for the from the rural areas. Following its down to only rural 56 seats in 2018 as seats with both BJP and small and marginal farm- defeat in the Hindi heartland, the compared to 131 seats in 2013. Con- Congress getting 40% of ers who are a majority in BJP came up with the PM-Kisan gress, on the other hand, saw some farmer votes as reported the sector, highly unprofit- scheme which promises a frugal Rs impressive gains - it won 83 seats in by CSDS. able. The vagaries of poor 6,000 to every farmer per year. The 2018 as compared to 18 in 2013 The Hindu Business monsoons have further Congress upstaged this by announc- In Chattisgarh, the BJP seat Line reports, “an assess- compounded the problem. ing its NYAY scheme which guar- count in rural areas was just 13 in ment of e-NAM revealed The farmers in the antees 20% of the poorest or around 2018 against 41 in 2013. The Con- that farmers did not ben- Hindi heartland now also 2 crore farmers with Rs 72,000 in- gress improved its tally from 35 seats efit much from promised have to deal with another come per annum or Rs 6,000 per in 2013 to 58 rural seats in 2018.Al- wider price awareness or nuisance that is destroying month. most 80% of the poeple in Chhattis- reduced commissions.” their crops and robbing Here, it needs to be remembered garh, 66% in Rajasthan and 55% in Likewise, the crop them of human resources that the rural vote is not made up on- MP are engaged in agriculture. insurance scheme had limited ef- Mood of the Nation Survey employed to protect their ly of farmers also of labor and other The rural vote has swung away fectiveness as many of the state gov- -India Today crops that would otherwise ahve jobs in the agricultural and non-ag- from the BJP in these states due to ernments did not include cultivation been empoyed productively. In pur- ricultural sectors. Demonteization farmer distress and lack of jobs in the costs into the insurance’s coverage “Farmer and rural suit of its Hindutva ideology and has hit the rural labor market, as is rural areas, made worse by demon- and private insurers have little in- problems are not cow protection, the rural areas in the the case with the urban one, very etization. centives to pay farmers their due. limited to merely the Hindi heartland, from where the BJP hard. Farmer and rural problems are As far as farmer votes are con- Some state governments also did Hindi heartland... got most of its seats, are awash with also not limited to merely the Hindi cerned, in MP, both BJP and Con- not pay out the premiums by the due rural voters are angry stray cattle that are not only destroy- heartland but also to the entire na- gress got 40% of their vote; in Ra- date, leaving farmers’ claims with- with the BJP pan India ing crops but also putting added fi- tion. The rural voter is angry with jasthan 36% and 40% voted for the out reimbursement”. Whereas, the and an increased nancial burden on farmers in feeding the BJP and a large number of them BJP and the Congress respectively BJP had promised to double farmer number of them will unproductive cattle. will vote against the BJP - the incum- and in Chattisgarh it was 48% for the incomes. vote against the BJP” Much of the farming sector is bent government- and in favor of the Congress and 27% for BJP. It goes Added to this have been the in- also manned by the lower castes and Congress. Urban votes shift away and tribals alienated by BJP People’s Post Desk People’s Post Desk There is a reason the BJP is large- fact that in the 2009 polls, out of the In MP, Rajasthan and Chhattis- ly considered an urban party even 168 city constituencies, the Congress garh, the BJP has lost heavily in after winning the 2014 Lok Sabha won 92 (or 54%) of them, giving it a seats reserved for Dalits and Adi- elections and getting 282 seats, a total of 207 Lok Sabha seats. vasis, a massive change compared bulk of them from the rural areas. In the 2018 assembly elections to 2013 Assembly elections. As per census 2011, there are in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, NewsClick says “In MP, the 342 rural, 144 semi-urban and 57 the BJP won just 46% 80 urban BJP had won as many as 59 of urban constituencies in the coun- seats, 34% less than in 2013, that is the 82 reserved seats in 2013. But try. In 2014, the BJP got 42% of the 37 out of 80 seats as compared to 64 in the recently held Assembly urban vote - 21.3% more than the in 2013. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, elections, its tally in these seats Congress. The BJP won 84 percent BJP won just 22 percent urban seats, plummeted to just 34 – a loss of urban seats it contested, cornering a as compared to 67 percent in 2013. 25 seats. BJP’s vote share went large amount of the upper and upper In Rajasthan, BJP lost 8 of the ur- down by over 4% in these seats.” Image Source: NewsClick middle-class vote. ban seats it held in 2013. In MP and “In Rajasthan, the BJP’s tal- the BJP and its violent affiliates In the 2009 polls, the UPA had Chattisgarh, the BJP lost 6% of the ly in the state’s 59 reserved seats who have been unleashing wide- have been suffering usurping of managed to get majority of the ur- vote share and 9% in Rajasthan. dipped from a whopping 50 in spread suppression and atrocities their traditional habitats and forest ban seats, helping it to take the Lok Various surveys have shown that 2013 to just 21 this time. That’s a against the Dalits, particularly in land for the benefit of the corporate Sabha tally to 207 Lok Sabha seats. the loss of the urban vote is largely loss of 29 seats and a vote swing the Hindi heartland and in Guja- cronies of the BJP. Reduced plan Out of the 168 city constituencies, due to the disastrous demonetiza- of nearly 6%.” rat. This includes murder, rape and expenditure on these communities the UPA won 92 (or 54%) of them. tion, the mess over GST and anti-in- In predominantly tribal Chhat- beatings under various excuses in- is also a major reason for the disaf- The urban voters, more specifi- cumbency. The communalism, lies, tisgarh, BJP’s tally in the reserved cluding cow slaughter fection against the BJP among the cally the middle-class, businessper- concealing of data, violence and bul- seats came down to 5 from 20 in BJP’s attempts to win back tribals and the Dalits. sons and traders, are very important lying of the urban population by BJP 2013, its vote share down by 8%. Dalits have largely been an eye- Both the Balits and the tribals for the BJP for two reasons. One is affiliated outfits has also led to in- The reasons for this huge loss wash and ornamental and is seen also historically see the BJP as an that a large segment of them gener- evitable urban vote loss for the BJP. include BJP’s connivance in di- through by the Dalits. These at- upper caste party and the Dalit ally stick to the BJP every election While the same voting pattern luting the Prevention of SC/ST tempts include dining with Dalits and tribal votes for the BJP in and are its backbone. The second is highly likely to continue in these Atrocities Act (POA) by the Su- and spending a night in a Dalit 2014 was an aberration triggered reason is that the urban vote share three states, it is also an indication preme Court and its dilly-dallying home after sbusing them for 5 by Modi’s glib talk and lies, while offsets its lesser appeal in the rural of how other urban areas across the in bringing in an over-riding legal years. Rather than placate these in reality they have been given areas, where apart from 2014, it country are likely to vote. For all remedy was the most immediate communities through these acts, the short shrift. The results were generally gets lesser vote than the practical purposes, the urban sup- cause. This happened after nation- BJP has only alienated them even seen in the 2018 Hindi heartland Congress and other regional parties. port for the BJP is on the wane, with wide the Dalits and Tribals started more. elections. The trend is certain to Its importance is highlighted by the serious implications for the BJP. experiencing poor treatment from The tribals, on the other hand, continue in the rest of the country. Cover story... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 7 Balakot strikes overrated as poll plank? No benefit for BJP say Pulwama victim’s town folk Following the Pulwama attack on country? Our unemployed youths, CRPF personnel and the subse- whose population has increased quent attack on Pakistani targets at to 6 crores, how did this number Balakot by the IAF, both the media increase by 4 or 5 crores? Is this and various political experts and called development…rising from analysts have been saying that the 2 crores to 6 crores! Such develop- Balakot strikes will get BJP a lot of ment is indeed a shame. Smart city votes. Former Karnataka BJP CM is not in India. BJP is not a good even said that following the strikes party. the BJP would win all 28 Lok Sab- Journalist: Tell me if Naren- ha seats in the state. dra Modi Ji loses and in 2019, if he Online news portal, The Wire, does not become the Prime Min- sent its journalist into Western UP ister, then Pakistan will attack us! to find out whether this was really Why repeat the name of Paki- happening with voters in heavy stan…. It’s all right. concentration areas– rural UP. In Third person: One second, this video, she visited Kairana in madam. I want to say… Western UP, which lost 2 soldiers Satpal Singh: Pakistan can- to terrorist attacks, including one not dare to touch us. We are strong in Pulwama, and talked to the peo- enough and we have made our Hindustan strong too. We have ple there- both young and elderly. Peoples Post Desk This transcript reveals how we the ones posted on the borders? list four cities….anywhere. strengthened it. these people view the whole busi- We fought on the border. Those Second person: Villages Fourth person: Section 317. ness. The interview also shows were our sons who fought. “ Of course. They are should be made smart. The cities Let that be withdrawn, sorry it is that the rural folk have caught up Journalist: But Modi Ji took nothing. We are true are already smart. Where is smart- 370. Withdraw Section 370, and with Modi’s and BJP’s charade of revenge on Pakistan? patriots. Oh madam! ness really needed? then be it Muzaffarnagar or Sham- lies and false claims to prop their Satpal Singh: What did he After collecting 10-10 Third person: Indira Gandhi liwale district, we will go and stay electoral prospects in the 2019 Lok avenge? It’s a lie. Nothing was was the chairman of 110 nations, there with all our bags and bag- Sabha elections. avenged. (many in the audience Rupees per bigha in a conference in 1982. gage’s, we will build our homes Transcript: interrupt to say the same). Re- as contribution, we Journalist: But Modi Ji says arrange out food and fodder there Journalist: Do you think that venge was taken by Indira Ji. It sent it for national that… and we will see, who will beat back Pulwama is a big issue when it was Lai Bahadur Shastri who took security. So, who are Third person: What have they us from the country! comes to elections? revenge. Under the rule of Lal Ba- the true patriots, done? Journalist: If he becomes the Satpal Singh: Pulwama is hadur Shastri, our flag was hoisted Satpal Singh: 6600 crores PM in 2019, then he would do that not an election issue here. Be- in Lahore and ….. Yes, it was Lal we or them? “ were spent on his foreign travel. too… cause we are greater patriots then Bahadur Shastri. Journalist: Money has to be Satpal Singh: How will he do them. Is the country safe in Modi Journalist: And Indira Ji in till date. Did anyone got martyred spent for India to become a vishwa it? What did he do in five years? Ji’s hands? Where was Modi Ji in 1971. They attacked Pakistan in- from Gujarat from 1971 till now? guru (world leader), right? The number of soldiers martyred 1971? Where was Modi Ji in 1965? side their home. There are none from Gujarat. Satpal Singh: Firstly, you in five years, the number of farm- Parties come and go. There is noth- Second person: What is Pa- Journalist: Please say that please listen to me! What about our ers who lost their sons, what is be- ing in Modi Ji’s hand. Our soldiers kistan? We had left Pakistan, we again. Yes? foreign policy? Look what China ing done for them? are fighting for the country. Our partitioned Pakistan into two parts. Third person: Nobody till did to us. Yesterday, one more sol- Second person: He has nev- sons are losing their lives. These We had divided Pakistan into two date was martyred from Gujarat. dier got martyred. er ending lies to tell. The same dishonest people are responsible in 1971. In India, nobody from Gujarat got Fourth person: When it thing will happen as has been for their martyrdom. The lives lost Satpal Singh: What is this martyred. And the say they are comes to patriotism, I want to say happening for last 5 years.... in 1918, since India’s independ- hue and cry about Pakistan? Even patriots. Whoever fled from India to the blind followers of Modi Ji. If ence, never have so many lives if they fight with weapons, we shall by looting money, they are all from you really want to raise an issue, Meanwhile, Indian been lost since then. defeat them with sticks. Gujarat. All are Modis. Each time, why not about China? The Oppo Express reports: Second thing, they have the Journalist: Really? terrorists came from Gujarat’s Mobiles made by them, why do our “In an unprecedented move, more power just to boast about them- Satpal Singh: Of course. They route. All came from Gujarat. So, cricketers wear jerseys that have than 150 retired military officers, selves. They say they have given are nothing. We are true patriots. you can very well judge Modi Ji’s Oppo Mobiles written on them? including eight former chiefs of a free will to the armed forces. Oh madam! After collecting 10-10 DNA. Why are they not opposing them the army, navy and air force, have But if the military say anything Rupees per bigha as contribution, Journalist: He says that we being Modi bhakts? They oppose written to the President urging against them, they are put behind we sent it for national security. So, have smashed them inside their these poor people who want to lead him “to take all necessary steps bars. Are they patriots or we? How who are the true patriots, we or own homes. their lives in this country in peace to urgently direct all political par- come they are patriots? Did they go them? Third person: That’s not done and harmony. The unemployed ties that they must forthwith desist to jail for the freedom struggle? Or Journalist: But tell me this… by him. He is a great liar. He al- poor are opposed. Those were 2 from using the military, military have their ancestors gone to jail? We donated money for national ways says that we will make the crores in 2014 and now they, in uniforms or symbols, and any And we went to jail during the security in 1962. When India got city….a smart city. Tell me only 2019, and in times to come, their actions by military formations or freedom struggle. We remember, independence and in 1962. Now four… Just tell me the names of number has gone up to 5 crores… personnel, for political purposes or madam, wheat used to come from it’s the five day. four cities that… or 6 crores. Why does Modi Ji not to further their political agendas”. America. It was so fine. It used to Journalist: But Modi Ji says, Journalist: Kairana has failed worry about their unemployment? The open letter, which has make such soft dough that it could “I won’t let the country bow.” to become a smart city? ’s son has made crores. been copied to the Chief Election be stretched till here. We worked Third person: It’s a lie. There Satpal Singh: Tell me from I want to question the public of this Commissioner, asks the President so hard, and now we can sell our has never been a PM who is such which angle is it smart? Can he country, he started with Rs 50,000 “to ensure that the secular and wheat in international market. So a liar. Ask Modi Ji if anyone got name them? See the plight of Saha- and reached 80 crores. Is unem- apolitical character of our Armed are they patriots or are we? Aren’t martyred from Gujarat. From 1947 ranpur or Meerut or Banaras. Just ployment not a burning issue of the Forces is preserved”. Comment... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 8 Radicals target Social engineering drawing South Asia board of Bihar’s caste politics Caste dynamics has been Muzaffarpur. the bedrock of Bihar’s The other key constituent politics and this time the of -- Rash- two opposing forces - the triya Lok Samata Party (RL- ruling National Demo- SP) -- gets to fight five seats. cratic Alliance (NDA) The party broke away from and the opposition Ma- the NDA to join the opposi- hagathbandhan (Grand tion alliance after being left Alliance) - have gone out by the BJP and JD-U. back to social engineering The RJD will fight 20 drawing boards to select seats (out of which it has de- candidates. cided to let CPI-ML contest More than half of Bi- -Gautam Datt from Aara), the Congress is har’s constituencies have sizable contesting nine seats and HAM SC/ST populations that will play a and VIP three seats each. Five have decisive role in the outcome of the “More than half of gone to RLSP. polls on all 40 Lok Sabha seats. Bihar’s seats have The Other Backward Castes The coordinated terror attacks on ment of forces overseas, give an There are nine seats in Bihar sizable SC/ST pop- (OBCs) and Extremely Backward churches and prime hotels in and idea of the enormity of the attacks. with over 20 per cent SC/ST popu- ulations that will Class (EBCs) form 51 per cent of around Colombo on the morning On the face of it, inadequacy lation and in 16 constituencies it is the state’s population. This includes of Easter Mass resulting in over 350 of local Intelligence attracted at- between 15 and 20 per cent. play a decisive role 14 per cent Yadavs, 4 per cent Kur- deaths including Western foreigners tention particularly because there Aurangabad and Gaya have the in the outcome of mis and 8 per cent Kushwahas and some 500 injured, is a covert of- was reportedly an Intelligence maximum SC/ST population (over the polls” (Koeri). fensive of global significance that is warning from India that radicals 20 per cent in both the seats). The At least 16 per cent of Bihar’s going to set the security agenda for were planning to attack churches (BJP) has Mahagathbandhan, had to concede population is Mahadalit and dalits the democratic world in general and in Colombo. Obviously, the spread fielded outgoing MP Sushil Kumar 11 seats to caste-based political out- (SCs) while 16.9 per cent of pop- for South Asia in particular. of radical Islam in Sri Lanka was Singh from Aurangabad who will fits of backwards and Mahadalits. ulation is Muslim. Forward caste The horrific events of Sri Lan- underestimated. The background face Upendra Prasad of Hindustan The newly floated Vikasheel constitue 15 per cent. ka were designed to create a long of Buddhist-Muslim conflict of the Awam Morcha (HAM), a Ma- Insaan Party (VIP), eyeing the Ni- In the NDA, the BJP and JD-U range impact on this entire region. It past seems to have fuelled the play hagathbandhan constituent. shads community, has managed are contesting 17 seats each while took little time for of radical Islam. Ac- Gaya will see a contest be- to get three Lok Sabha seats, a six have gone to Lok Janshakti Par- strategic observ- “Terror attacks in cording to the Lan- tween Vijay Kumar Manjhi of Ja- phenomenal feat for a debutant in ty (LJP). ers to attribute Sri Lanka have to be kan government, the nata Dal-United and HAM found- the cluttered Bihar political space. At least five seats with sitting the war like act to killing of Muslims at er Jitan Ram Manjhi. Out of the 40 The community, divided in 20 sub- BJP MPs -- Valmikinagar, Jhan- Islamic radicals seen in their geo-po- the mosque in New constituencies, six are designated castes, is around 1.75 crore strong. jharpur, Gopalganj, Siwan and owing allegiance litical dimension as Zealand by a White as reserved by the EC. VIP founder Mukesh Sahani is Gaya -- are now being contested by to al-Qaeda and the forerunner of supremacist and Such has been the caste dy- contesting from Khagaria and Dr. the JD-U. Union Minister and BJP ISIS and acting what lies ahead” right wing fanatic in namics that the Rashtriya Janata Rajbhushan Chaudhri Nishad will leader Giriraj Singh’s seat Nawada in conjunction March acted as the Dal (RJD), the main constituent of take on Ajay Nishad of the BJP in has gone to LJP. Pic: Jagran.com with local extremists. A statement trigger for the bombings. has since come from the ISIS claim- The new pressure mounted The question of a possible rise confrontation that is building up its opponents. Kashmir is already ing that the bombings were carried by the US against ISIS and the al of network of Islamic radicals in along what the US scholars called being made a battleground for out by the ‘fighters of the Islamic Qaeda-Taliban in the run up to a South Asia deserves a serious a ‘clash of civilizations’ after 9/11. Jehad as Mujahideen are being State’ even as Sri Lanka authorities withdrawal of American troops probe. The ‘war on terror’ is first More specifically the character steadily infiltrated from across the also confirmed the complicity of the from Syria and Afghanistan has and foremost a combat between of the ‘war on terror’ as something LOC. Many observers have not- National Tawheeth Jamaat, a radical driven the Islamic radicals to take the Islamic radicals and the US-led that created faith-based motivation ed that the big-scale terror attack outfit known to be active in Colom- on their adversary in other regions. West but the supporters of the US for Islamic militants engaged in a in Colombo would call for a new bo for some time and having links In the geo-politics of South Asia, in this confrontation as well as the direct confrontation with the US- level of vigilance in the southern with Pakistan. Pakistan has emerged as the sus- world of idolatrous people are also led West, cannot be ignored. This Indian states against radicalisation. In a broader perspective it tainer of Islamic extremism and targeted by the former. It seems the driving force has something to do Bodies of Islamic radicals have al- seems the Colombo offensive had radical outfits. The al-Qaeda on In- radicals are trying to dominate the also with the historical recall of the ready attracted notice in Kerala and something to do with the aftermath dian Subcontinent (AQIS) that came Muslim world in Asia and Africa first Jehad led by the prominent Ul- elsewhere in the region. An added of current developments in the two into existence in 2014 operates out in the name of Jehad knowing full ema of the 19th Century - including danger in India is that our domestic theatres of ‘war on terror’- the Pa- of Pakistan with patronage from well that the call of defence of Islam Abdul Wahab - that was launched politics witnessed extreme com- kistan-Afghanistan belt and the Pakistan’s ISI. There was the hand would get a silent endorsement from against the Western or Christian munal polarisation as the minority Syria-Iraq region. It is significant of ISI in the display of ISIS flags by the rest of the Islamic world as well. encroachment on Muslim lands. votes became a central point in the that large Church congregations Islamic militants in the Kashmir The ideological baton is always Terror attacks occurring in Europe campaign for the General Election. and hotels where Western tourists valley in recent months. Also, the raised by the Ulema and the elite in recent times were all carried out In the recent past, an outfit like the might be housed were targeted, that suicide bomber who killed CRPF of the community and the common by Islamic radicals indoctrinated in Indian Mujahideen had pushed the suicide bombers were used by the Jawans at Pulwama was raised by Muslims have historically not been that legacy - a leaflet left behind on narrative in a direction that seemed planners and that a body of radi- Jaish-e-Mohammad, a known col- able to resist their sway. the scene by the terrorists after their to justify terrorism as an upshot of calized youth already available on laborator of the Taliban. The stated The terror attacks in Sri Lanka attack at Brussels in March 2016 the communal divide. For India it the Sri Lankan soil in the environ aim of AQIS is to establish Islamic have to be seen in their geo-political had said in as many words that it is extremely important that there of extremism created by the likes of state in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh dimension as the forerunner of what was revenge against the Crusades. should be a united voice within the Tawheeth Jamaat facilitated the ter- and Myanmar. All of these factors lies ahead for the democratic world The danger in South Asia is country as well as in the democratic rorist operation. The scale of plan- are relevant to an analysis of the order. The attacks were meant to that a recalcitrant Pakistan is not world outside against faith-based vi- ning, induction of huge amounts of bombings and important for India’s produce an impact beyond Sri Lan- prepared to give up on using Islam- olence being fomented in the name explosives and the likely involve- planning to deal with the new terror. ka and put a stamp on the global ic militancy as a weapon against of Jehad. Analysis... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 9 Dalit-Muslim pact worries BJP-Shiv Sena When Prakash Ambedkar filed his were lured by the BJP. The BJP nomination papers from the Solapur retorted that Shinde was making and Akola Lok Sabha constituen- such claims as he sensed defeat in cies as a Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Solapur. (VBA) nominee this week, more Though the Congress-NCP has than 200,000 supporters followed dismissed the VBA as the BJP’s him in each town, sending shivers “Team B”, Ambedkar hit back, down the political parties, especial- saying his main fight is with the ly the ruling Bharatiya Janata Par- BJP-Sena combine as the Con- ty-Shiv Sena and the Congress-Na- gress-NCP is a weakened force in tionalist Congress Party alliances. the state. Prakash Ambedkar is the grand- His grouse stems from the fact son of Babasaheb Ambedkar, the that the Congress-NCP uncere- architect of the Indian constitution, moniously spurned his offer for a and the VBA is the political baby Grand Alliance which included the of his Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh VBA. The Congress-NCP found (BBM) and the Owaisi brothers’ All his demand for contesting nearly India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen half the 48 seats in Maharashtra (AIMIM). too pricey. This formidable Dalit-Muslim In the minority-dominated brotherhood, virtually untested in Aurangabad constituency, Jaleel state politics, though tried out mar- option to both sections, inclusive of -Quaid Najmi lock horns with Congress strong- will challenge the might of Shiv ginally in Uttar Pradesh between others like tribals, Dhangars, Kolis man Sushilkumar Shinde, a former Sena stalwart Chandrakant Khaire the Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj and several fringe or deprived sec- “Huge turnout in Union Home Minister and state and Congress’ Subhash Zhambad, Party (BSP) and Mulayam Singh tions. Solapur and Akola is Chief Minister, while the BJP has amidst speculation that the party Yadav’s (SP), The huge turnout in Solapur nominated well-known spiritual may drop Zhambad and opt for re- poses an unprecedented challenge and Akola has started giving night- giving nightmares leader Jaysiddheshwar Shivachar- bel MLA Abdul Sattar A. Nabi. in Maharashtra this time. mares to the BJP-Sena and Con- to the BJP-Sena and ya Swami. With the BSP-SP alliance also Turning the screws on both gress-NCP on what it could spell Congress-NCP on In Akola, won by Ambedkar fielding Dalit and Muslim can- the opposing alliances by target- in the Electronic Voting Machines what it could spell in twice in 1998 and 1999, the chal- didates in Maharashtra, political ing their support among Dalits and (EVMs) vote-catch. the EVM vote-catch” lenge will be against three-time BJP pundits forecast a tough time for Muslims, the unprecedented VBA The show of strength comes MP Sanjay S. Dhotre and Congress’ the BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP experiment could probably change barely a month after Ambedkar and Hidayatullah B. Patel, who finished alliances in the Lok Sabha polls. the attitude of the major mainstream Owaisi addressed a mammoth pub- decided to field VBA candidates in second in the 2009 and 2014 general However, the BSP elephant has parties vis-a-vis the two sections. lic rally in Mumbai and earlier in 47 Lok Sabha constituencies, leav- elections. barely impressed Maharashtra vot- Until now, the major Dalit and Aurangabad, which had sent alarm ing Aurangabad for the AIMIM, Interestingly, earlier this week, ers in the past few Lok Sabha and Muslim groups/parties had to be bells clanging in political circles. which has nominated its high-pro- Shinde - who has won from Solapur Assembly elections, though the SP content to be in alliance with the Ambedkar, 64, a three-time file legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel, a TV thrice in 1998, 1999 and 2009 - cre- has cycled its way through in Mum- other major groupings, but not any- parliamentarian, including one journalist-turned politician. ated a political stir by claiming he bai and surroundings with a legisla- more as the VBA offers a clear-cut term in the , has also In Solapur, Ambedkar will and his legislator daughter Praniti tor and some municipal corporators. “Are you asking Supreme Court to be part of an illegal order”? The Supreme Court has Court to be a part of an expressed its unhappiness illegal order where a for- about measures taken by eigner who has no right the Assam government to to stay in the country will deport illegal foreigners remain and sign a bond lodged in state’s detention and so on.” camps. The CJI rubbishing A bench compris- the state’s arguments, ing Chief Justice Ranjan said “Don’t you agree Gogoi, Justices Deepak there has been failure Gupta and Justice Sanjiv on part of your govern- Khanna sought details of ment?” the foreigners lodged in The the detention camps and informed the bench that also inquired about the measures be- released after they furnish a security these foreigners have illegally regis- ing taken by the Assam government of Rs 5 lakh, and then submit doc- tered themselves in the voters’ list. to deport them. uments to verify their address. The The court observed that the govern- The bench was hearing a PIL by state government would also prepare ment of Assam should deport these Harsh Mander, a social activist, who their biometric database. foreigners as soon as possible. “But with assistance of the country of retary about the nature of assistance moved the court raising concern on After initially hearing the Chief we don’t see that effort from the state origin of these foreigners, and that offered by the government in collab- the plight of inmates in the camps. Secretary, in a sharp jibe at the meth- government”, said the court. detainees, too, should cooperate. The oration with the state of Assam. The The court was informed that the odology devised by the state govern- Amicus Gaurab Banerjee in- court observed that it is apparent that amicus submitted a copy of minutes foreigners who have completed five ment to deport foreigners, the court formed the court that a collaborative government failed in its job. of the meeting held on March 25 to years in detention centres would be said: “You are asking the Supreme mechanism needs to be developed The CJI queried the Chief Sec- the court. Moot points... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 10 Idea of India under threat Water availability in India has been under an undeclared jailed, but never killed by Gandhi, 91 major reservoirs Emergency and it is different from her ministers did not question mo- the one imposed by Indira Gandhi rality of young students in educa- in 1975 as she never called the then tional institutions, including Jawa- down to 26% opposition leaders “anti-national” harlal Nehru University (JNU), or “unpatriotic” and did not kill and the dissenters were not asked minorities, Dalits and even jour- to go to Pakistan, Prasad said. nalists, says Rashtriya “The assassins of Mahatma (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad in his Gandhi were not worshiped during memoir. the 1975 Emergency,” he said. In his autobiography titled The former Bihar Chief Min- “Gopalganj to Raisina: My Po- ister also said Gandhi lost to the litical Journey”, which recently Janata Dal in 1977 and regained went on sale, he narrates how the power in 1980, but she did not “ut- very idea of India enshrined in the ter blatant lies” and made “false Constitution is threatened under promises” to attract voters. the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Taking a dig at Modi, the RJD Janata Party (BJP) rule. leader said: “She (Gandhi) never Total water availability in 91 ma- BCM which is about 63 per cent of “Though there is no official “That Emergency was different said she would give two crore jobs jor reservoirs in the country has the live storage capacity of 257.812 censorship, several media houses, from the present spell in the sense every year to the youth or depos- reduced to 26 per cent of their BCM which is estimated to have owned by major corporates, hesi- that Indira Gandhi put many of us it Rs 15 lakh into the account of actual storage capacity, the Agri- been created in the country. tate to air opinions or shows that behind bars, but she never abused every Indian, she did not promise culture Ministry said. In northern region, there are are unpalatable to the Modi gov- us. Neither she nor her Ministers ‘acche din’ (good days) or unleash The total live storage capaci- six CWC-monitored reservoirs ernment,” he has written. or party leaders ever called us ‘an- lynch mobs to bring about ‘bure ty of these 91 reservoirs that are and water availability on April 25 He also highlights the inci- ti-national’ or ‘unpatriotic,” he said. din’ (days of trouble) on the mi- monitored by Central Water Com- was 51 per cent or 9.17 BCM at dent of four senior-most Supreme “She never unleashed vandals norities and the Dalits.” mission is 161.99 BCM (billion present. Court judges holding a press con- to defile the memory of (B.R.) Claiming that the Rashtriya cubic metre) and the water availa- Such 15 reservoirs in the east- ference saying the democracy is Ambedkar, the architect of our Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) -- ide- bility as on April 25 is 42.53 BCM ern region has the total live storage in danger. Constitution. She didn’t unleash ological fountainhead of the BJP -- or 26 per cent, it said. of 35 per cent or 6.56 BCM. Drawing a parallel between mobs to kill and maim minorities played “a dubious role” in the BJP However, the situation is bet- In western region, total water the Emergency of 1975 and “the and Dalits in the name of religion movement and they used it to gain ter this year, Ministry said, as the availability in 27 reservoirs is 18 undeclared one of today”, Prasad and caste. Cattle-traders were not recognition in society. storage was 37.31 BCM during the per cent or 5.67 BCM while in said then Prime Minister Indira persecuted and killed on doubts of “We had not heard of Modi, corresponding period last year. central region it is 30 per cent or Gandhi had at least resorted to con- possessing beef.” Jaitley or during The average of last 10 years 12.51 per cent in 12 reservoirs. stitutional provisions to declare it. Journalists and writers were the Emergency,” he said. live storage is 41.074 BCM. In southern region, there are 31 The total live storage capaci- such reservoirs where water avail- So far, 20 Telangana students end life ty of these 91 reservoirs is 161.99 ability is 17 per cent or 8.63 BCM. With another Intermediate panel formed by the gov- NYAY scheme a surgical student committing sui- ernment to probe the lapses cide in Telangana, the toll in results submitted its re- strike on poverty? has gone up to 20 since port. The panel looked in- the Board of Intermediate to the system deployed by Congress President Rahul Gandhi Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, who Education announced the Globarena Technologies, says the NYAY scheme is a sur- fled the country”. results, which were marred whose services were hired gical strike on poverty as he took Rahul attacked Modi for not by goof-ups. by the Telangana BIE to a dig at Prime Minister Narendra talking about employment gener- In the latest incident, a conduct the examinations Modi for growing employment in ation, farmer issue and corruption. 17-year-old girl immolated and process the results. the country. “Modi carries teleprompter herself in Narayanpet dis- The committee submit- “Under the Nyuntam Aay Yo- wherever he goes to deliver his trict. ted its report to B. Janard- jana (NYAY), Rs 72,000 will be speeches. He keeps getting orders Depressed after failing in han Reddy, Secretary, given annually to five crore fami- not to talk about employment. He one subject in the 12th stand- Higher Education, Govern- lies in the country. Poor states like does not mention the Rs 15 lakh ard examination, Sirisha committed tests by the parents, student groups ment of Telangana. The panel also Bihar and Odisha will get the ben- promised to remit into accounts of self-immolation at her house in Dhan- and political parties. made recommendations to avoid efits under the scheme. This is the every poor Indian”, said Gandhi. wada block of Narayanpet district, Chief Minister K. Chan- such lapses in conducting exami- surgical strike on poverty,” said He said while Modi promised about 160 km from . drashekhar Rao ordered free nations in the future. Gandhi while addressing an elec- 2 crore jobs, but in reality, 27000 Sirisha’s parents had gone to the re-counting and re-verification of The process of re-verification of tion rally in Balasore Lok Sabha jobs are lost every 24 hours under fields when she took the extreme the answer sheets of all the students answer sheets of the failed students constituency. his government. step. The family members later said who failed in the examinations. He and other applicants was underway He also said NYAY scheme “There are 22 lakh govern- that she was depressed after failing also appealed to the students not to at 12 centres across the state. Five will help generating employment, ment posts lying vacant. Once in zoology. commit suicide, saying failing in of these centres are located in Hy- which was affected by demone- Congress comes to power, we The Board of Intermediate Ed- Intermediate test was not the end derabad. tization and Goods and Services will fill the vacancies and create ucation (BIE) had announced the of life. While the BIE was revaluating Tax (GST). 10 lakh jobs in panchayats,” he results of Intermediate first year A total of 9.74 lakh students ap- the papers of the failed students Gandhi allayed fears that the added. and second year (11th and 12th peared for the Intermediate exami- without applications, more than middle class would have to bear Speaking on the farmers’ standard) examinations on April 18, nations held in February-March, out 50,000 students, who cleared the the burden for the scheme. plight, he said Rs 2,600 would be but the discrepancies in the results of which as many 3.28 lakh failed to examinations but were not satisfied He said the scheme will be provided on paddy per quintal in triggered a spate of suicides by the secure pass marks. with the marks obtained, also ap- entirely funded with the “money Odisha, once the party forms the students, leading to widespread pro- Meanwhile, a three-member plied for re-verification. looted by the industrialists like government in the state. Special reports Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 11 Trafficked dance troupes India laborers in shunned at weddings Gabon being abused came a fad two decades ago. Young girls were considered says U.N. “value for money” by troupe owners as they could be moulded and taught easily, he added. Ram said that the state’s rich cultural and artistic heritage encour- aged parents to teach their children music and dance, much sought after skills for the orchestras across Bihar. “Traffickers exploit these aspira- tions ... of making it big in theatre or movies ... and talk about how girls can earn from their hobby,” said Subhashree Raptan, coordinator at anti-trafficking charity Goranbose -Anuradha Nagaraj Gram Bikash Kendra (GGBK). “There is a fine line Leela, who declined to give her Annie Banerji & Nellie Peyton When Girija Devi’s daughter got between entertain- real name, recalls being drugged, India is investigating the treat- government spokeswoman did married, the “orchestra” did not play. kidnapped and held by a dance ment of 40 migrant workers in not immediately respond to a re- Going against Indian tradition, De- ment and exploitation troupe for almost a year. Gabon after the United Nations quest for comment. vi’s family decided that they would in the orchestras” “I didn’t understand their lan- said it was alarmed by allegations “These precarious working not entertain their guests with music guage or what they wanted of me,” of labor abuse that could amount conditions, restrictions on their and dancing. the 16-year-old said by phone from to modern slavery. freedom of movement and confis- Devi made the decision, despite the charity Fakirana Sisters’ Society her home in South 24 Parganas A group of Indian laborers cation of their identity documents protests from the groom’s family, af- that rescues children from slavery. district in West Bengal, recount- have been trapped in the Cen- by the company may amount to ter she heard that many of the girls “The orchestras, as the locals ing how she suffered beatings as a tral African country since their contemporary forms of slavery in dance troupes - known locally as call them, are more than just a song punishment for mistakes during the employer - an India-based tim- and to human trafficking,” the orchestras - hired to perform at wed- and dance set-up. They are fronts for performances. ber company - confiscated their U.N. experts said in a statement. dings in the eastern state of Bihar brothels as well.” “I wanted to go home and some- identity documents, according to The United Nations said it were victims of human trafficking. Much sought after during wed- how managed to call my brother “credible information” received had been in contact with India, “I was shocked when I heard dings, these troupe performances who then told the police. I came back by U.N. human rights experts. Gabon, and the company, and that these girls had been tricked,” have often resulted in fights, shoot- knowing many others were trapped The workers have allegedly urged all to look into the issue. Devi told the Thomson Reuters ings and even deaths, according to forever,” she said, adding that she not been provided with written The company named in the Foundation at her home. the police, which has sporadically was lucky to escape. contracts or valid work visas, are U.N. statement - India-based “I couldn’t reconcile the fact banned them. The Institute for Developmental required to do excessive overtime timber firm Accurate Industries - that while my daughter was getting There is a fine line between en- Education & Action (IDEA), a char- with no weekly rest, and are not could not be reached for comment. married, somebody else’s daughter tertainment and exploitation in the ity that works with communities in paid regularly, said the U.N. The 40 workers - some of was being forced to put up a show orchestras, said police superinten- and around Motihari town, said it Working Group on Business and whom were interviewed by the and entertain largely drunk men,” dent Jayant Kant. rescued about 50 girls from dance Human Rights. U.N. experts by phone following she added. “They are performing at happy troupes last year, up from a dozen Indian government sources a tipoff about their situation from Many households in the West occasions, making police interven- or so annual rescues recorded in pre- said authorities were looking in- within Gabon - are likely just the Champaran region say they have tion tough and rescues few and far in vious years. to the matter, and had notified its tip of the iceberg, according to stopped paying for dancers at their between. But we keep an eye (on it),” “Over the years, the art aspect high commission in Gabon. Surya Deva, chairperson of the family weddings, hoping that the dip said Kant, an officer in Bettiah city. of these performances at weddings Gabon’s labor ministry and U.N. working group. -Trust.org in demand will stem the supply of For five years, Chandrika Ram ... has died,” said Digvijay Kumar, trafficked girls from neighbouring travelled between his village and director of IDEA. “There is public acceptance for more and more people. West Bengal state and across the Kolkata in West Bengal - which re- “The revelers are drunk and this crime.” “It is not easy, but we simply border from Nepal. corded more than a third of the 8,000 fights erupt over choice of song and As this year’s wedding season cannot allow this anymore,” he said. Yet cops and campaigners say human trafficking cases reported men trying to grab the women,” Ku- wound up in March, 11 villages “Some traditions have to die.” the crime is tough to crack as the across India in 2016 - bringing back mar said. “In February, an orchestra celebrated their success of hosting But for Deepa Devi, ending the custom is so popular while traffick- girls to sell to dance troupe owners girl was shot and last year, a groom “orchestra free marriages”. practice may not be enough. ers prey on girls - some as young as in Bettiah. was killed. The girls are so young and “Once we realised the orchestra She was 11 years old when she 12 - and their families by promising “The profits were huge,” said scared, but have no way to resist.” girls had been trafficked, we knew it was trafficked into a dance troupe dance lessons, good earnings and Ram, who paid middlemen and rel- State officials in West Cham- had to stop,” said Dhonda Mukhiya, near Bettiah and has spent more the prospect of stardom on stage or atives of the girls up to 10,000 Indian paran are monitoring the troupes a member of the vigilance commit- than a decade performing. screen. rupees ($144) and then sold them to through a helpline for children in tee of Bin Toli village, which seeks “I didn’t have a choice when I The state’s comprehensive train troupes for as much as 10 times that distress, have organised awareness to prevent child marriages and hu- was taken from my home,” she said, network and porous border with price. campaigns and met with orchestra man trafficking. sitting in the courtyard of a house Nepal have long enabled traffickers “I didn’t think about what would owners, warning them of legal Campaigners have used stories with two big speakers - a tell-tale to move girls easily and sell them to happen to the girls after I sold them action if trafficked women are in- of deaths at weddings, the cost of sign that the owner is the head of a dance groups, according to several for 10 times the price I had bought volved in their shows. hiring orchestras and suggested al- dance troupe. activists. them for. It was pure greed,” added “When I was a junior official, I ternatives such as screening a film “And I can’t go back now. I “They bring unsuspecting wom- Ram, who is now an anti-trafficking used to stop the orchestras but there in a bid to win people over and stop wouldn’t know where to go. Besides, en in droves and quickly disperse advocate. was always a lot of public backlash,” the trend. I have to repay money I borrowed them into the 250-odd orchestras Ram, who has a daughter, said said Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, the Mukhiya said that first efforts from the troupe owner to pay for that operate in the area,” said Shishir he had cashed in on Bollywood-in- administrative head of West Cham- were met with hostility, but that it the dress I was forced to buy for the Michael, programme manager with spired wedding celebrations that be- paran. - Thomson Reuters was a matter of slowly convincing dances.” Roving eye... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 31, 2019 12 New ‘chowkidars’ courtesy Sex-for-food aid stray cattle meance allegations in MZ to the fear of vigilante groups, the collapse of local cattle markets and fairs, fall in the value of non-milch cows and bullocks and the cam- paign against illegal slaughterhous- es has led to a situation where both men and women with lathis in their hands are forced to guard their crops during the day and night or stay on the machans built on their fields. Pointing to his fields, Jagadish Singh asked: “Can you see any crops here? They have been completely de- stroyed. Now I fear for feeding my The United Nations said it will in- second powerful storm, Cyclone family for the rest of the year.” vestigate allegations that survivors Kenneth, pounded the impover- A resident of Dadra village, of a deadly cyclone in Mozam- ished southeast African nation. Bajrangi, confessed he pushed out bique are being forced to have sex “As with any report on sexual a male calf earlier this year as he did with community leaders for food. exploitation and abuse, we are act- It’s 8 p.m. and Kushi Ram, a resi- -Anand Singh not have enough feedstock. “I could Trust.org reports that more than ing swiftly to follow-up on these dent of Baraulia village, is prepar- not feed it, so what to do? I had no 1,000 people died and tens of thou- allegations, including with the rel- ing to go to go to save his farm from Farmers at the local option put to push him into another sands were forced from their homes evant authorities,” the U.N. Office the menace of the stray cattle that village,” he said. when Cyclone Idai hammered Mo- for the Coordination of Humani- damage his crops. market said there has Farmers at the local market said zambique before moving inland to tarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said in In the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ been a drastic fall in there has been a drastic fall in the Malawi and Zimbabwe, in one of a statement. season, the farmers of Amethi seem the sale of non-milch sale of non-milch cows and bullocks the worst climate-related disasters “The U.N. has a zero tolerance to be the new watchmen thanks to cows and bullocks as there are no takers. to hit the southern hemisphere. policy on sexual exploitation and growing menace of stray cattle. Ali Rehman of Korwa village The U.N. pledge came a abuse. It is not, and never will be, Showing the hoof marks in “They should have made some in Amethi said that it was good that day after Human Rights Watch acceptable for any person in a po- his filed, Kushi Ram told this vis- arrangements against the stray cat- cow slaughter came to a halt but an (HRW) published accounts of fe- sition of power to abuse the most iting IANS correspondent: “The tle,” rued Das, adding that the prob- alternate system should have been male survivors who said they were vulnerable, let alone in their time hoofmarks of the cattle point to the lem lay in farmers pushing their put in place to prevent vigiliantism. abused by local leaders and as a of greatest need.” damage to the crop. They ate up all non-milch cows out of their villages. “We have seen the news and the wheat I had sown. I had to sow The farmers of Amethi, cutting read in the newspapers how peo- all over again.” across political lines and castes, ple were lynched on suspicion of She proved that persistence Venugopal Das, a Dalit from claim the menace of stray cattle had transporting the cattles to slaughter Nara village in the district in the worsened after March 2017 when houses,” Ali said. pays even for a tribal Musafirkhana area of Amethi, BJP-led Yogi Adityanath assumed He complained that the state Sreedhanya Suresh, blamed the Yogi Adityanath gov- office in Uttar Pradesh. government’s plan to build shelters 25, has become the first ernment for the menace. Das pointed out that owing for stray cattle is a non-starter. woman from Kerala’s tribal community to crack the Civil Services 20% deaths worldwide linked examination. In her third attempt, she secured the 410th to unhealthy diet rank to clear the exam. Eleven million deaths world- the recommended 125 g - and “I am really excited wide in 2017 were linked to almost double the recommend- and happy. When I even- people eating poor diets high in ed amount of processed meat tually become an IAS officer, my Sabha elections, but since the Un- sugar, salt and processed meat - at around 4 g average intake emphasis would be to improve the ion Public Service Commission that contributed to heart disease, per day compared with the 2 g education level of the tribal peo- announced the results on Friday cancer and diabetes recommended. ple,” said Suresh. evening, Suresh has hogged the A research, published in the A study published in Jan- The record-breaker is the limelight and become their hero. Lancet medical journal, found uary suggested an “ideal diet” daughter of Suresh and Kamala, Gandhi took note of this that among 195 countries stud- for the health of people and the who belong to the Kurichiya tribe. achievement and tweeted: ied, the proportion of diet-related planet would include a doubling “Our happiness is sky high... “Sreedhanya Suresh from deaths was highest in Uzbekistan and percent of the recommended amount of consumption of nuts, fruits, vege- We stretched to the maximum to Wayanad is the first tribal girl lowest in Israel. of nuts and seeds - an average intake tables and legumes, and a halving of ensure that she studies well. We from Kerala to be selected for the Consumption of healthier foods of 3 grams a day, compared with meat and sugar intake. ensured that nothing becomes a civil service. Sreedhanya’s hard such as nuts and seeds, milk and the recommended 21 g - and drank In a breakdown of diet-related barrier for her studies and now work and dedication have helped whole grains was on average too low, more than 10 times the recommended deaths, the study found that of the her hard work has been reward- make her dream come true. I and people consumed too many sug- amount of sugary drinks. Diets high 11 million in 2017, almost 10 million ed,” said Kamala even as her congratulate Sreedhanya and her ary drinks and too much processed in sugar, salt and bad fats are known were from cardiovascular diseases, home was full of well wishers who family and wish her great success meat and salt. This led to 20% deaths risk factors for heart disease, stroke, around 913,000 from cancer, and al- came to celebrate her daughter’s in her chosen career.” in 2017 being linked to bad diets. diabetes and many types of cancer. most 339,000 from type 2 diabetes. success. Kerala Governor P. Sathasi- The Global Burden of Disease The global diet also included less Annual deaths related to diet have On Thursday, the hilly district vam and Chief Minister Pinarayi study tracked trends from 1990 to than a quarter of the recommend- increased from 8 million in 1990, but was agog as Congress President Vijayan also congratulated her 2017 of consumption of 15 dietary ed amount of whole grains - at 29 g researchers say this was largely due to Rahul Gandhi filed his nomina- and wished her the best in her fu- factors. It found people ate only 12 average intake a day compared with increases in populations and ageing. tion from Wayanad for the Lok ture endeavours. Women... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 31, 2019 13 Six Haryana moms lead from She could be Kerala’s the front in sons’ fight first woman Dalit MP In Haryana, a state where the an from the Chautala clan to sex ratio was the worst till contest and win an election last year and where women (Tosham assembly poll in are told to remain behind the October 2014) after her hus- ‘ghoonghat’ (veil), at least band and father-in-law, Ajay six mothers have got down Chautala and O.P. Chautala to lead from the front for the respectively, were convicted political cause of their sons. and imprisoned in January Four of these mothers 2013 for the junior basic - Kiran Choudhary, Renu- teacher recruitment scam, is ka Bishnoi, Prem Lata and not the one to take things ly- Naina Chautala, are sitting ing down. legislators in the Haryana as- Her ‘Hari Chunari ki sembly themselves and are Chaupal’ campaign to mobi- not new to campaigning. -Jaideep Sarin lise women voters for the JJP floated The other two - Asha Hooda by her sons, Dushyant and Digvijay and Kanta Chautala - come from the “‘Hari Chunari ki Chautala, after severing political ties For the Congress party in Kerala, in 1992 became the Vice President well-established political dynasties Chaupal’ campaign to with the INLD, has been quite a hit the erstwhile Ottapalam reserved and five years later, the President. of Chaudhary Ranbir Singh-Bhupin- mobilise women voters in several parts of Haryana. Lok Sabha constituency evokes Surprisingly after 1991, no der Singh Hooda and Devi Lal-Om “All parties (in Haryana) are get- passion and emotion as it was from Congress candidate has won Prakash Chautala respectively and for the JJP has been ting scared of the growing popularity here that diplomat-turned-politi- from this constituency. This time being part of political campaigning. quite a hit in several of the JJP. There are conspiracies by cian K.R. Narayanan eventually around there is marked cheer on While Kiran Choudhary, daugh- parts of Haryana” parties and leaders to stop the politi- crested Raisina Hill as the first the face of the average Congress ter-in-law of former Chief Minister cal ascent of Dushyant,” she said. Dalit to become the President of worker campaigning hard for Ha- Bansi Lal, is campaigning for daugh- contesting for the fourth time. Asha Hooda, who accompanied India. ridas, who seems to have gelled ter and former MP Shruti Choudhary Kanta Chautala, also a daugh- her son for filing of his nomination Ottapalam constituency in well in the constituency. in the Bhiwani-Mahendergarh Lok ter-in-law of Om Prakash Chautala papers in Rohtak earlier this week, Palakkad district ceased to exist Haridas is the President of the Sabha seat, Renuka Bishnoi (daugh- and wife of Indian National will have a hectic time in the next 15- in 2009 and in its place came Al- Kunnamangalam village council ter-in-law of former Chief Minister (INLD) strongman Abhay Singh 16 days as she will have to divide her athur. and one of her strengths that she Bhajan Lal and wife of Kuldeep Chautala, who has remained out of time in Rohtak as well as adjoining Just in Narayanan’s case, the has been using well during her Bishnoi), Prem Lata (wife of Union political limelight till now, is also Sonipat Lok Sabha seat from where Congress party sniffs that history campaign is her ability to sing. Minister Birender Singh) and Naina campaigning for her son Arjun Chau- her husband is contesting. is in the making ever since young Biju is confident that despite Chautala (daughter-in-law of former tala as he has taken a political plunge “We have worked very hard for 32-year-old Remya Haridas, spot- him hailing from Kottayam, since Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala for the first time from the Kurukshet- Rohtak. We will not only win Ro- ted by Congress president Rahul 2009 for the past decade he has lit- and wife of Ajay Singh Chautala) are ra Lok Sabha seat. htak seat but also Sonipat by a big Gandhi himself, has been fielded erally turned a full-time resident campaigning for their sons - Bhavya While Kiran Choudhary, Asha margin,” a confident-looking Asha to take on P.K. Biju of the CPI-M, of Alathur, knows every nook and Bishnoi, Bijendra Singh and Dushy- Hooda and Renuka Bishnoi are Hooda said. who is aiming for a hat-trick of corner of the constituency and he ant Chautala, respectively for the from the Congress camp, Prem Lata All the political moms cam- wins from Alathur. has done yeoman service to his Hisar Lok Sabha seat. is from the Bharatiya Janata Party paigning this time have travelled to If Haridas wins, she will be electorate. Asha Hooda, wife of two-time (BJP), Naina Chautala is from the most parts of Haryana earlier and are the first woman Dalit MP from While the contest is between Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh newly-formed Jannayak Janata Par- well-acquainted with the problems the state. BIju and Haridas, the BJP-led Hooda, is campaigning in the Ro- ty (JJP) and Kanta Chautala is from and issues of the people. Incidentally, after a hat trick of NDA has been making substan- htak Lok Sabha seat where her son the INLD. Out of the over 1.79 crore voters wins from Ottapalam for the Con- tial gains with its candidates in- and sitting MP Deepinder Hooda is Naina Chautala, the first wom- in Haryana, over 81 lakh are women. gress, the last in 1991, Narayanan creasing their votes. Sadhvi Pragya needs a full-time firefighting department since she was fielded to Reporters seeking to interview favour. Fatima had polled a good gress leader who served as a minister face Congress veteran her are told to send the questionnaire 56,000 votes and can ill-afford to for two terms. She still feels no need Digvijaya Singh. in writing. Obviously either the an- overlook the sentiment in the con- to quit the party. But campaigning She called Digvijaya swers are whetted or someone else stituency. for Sadhvi is a different proposition. Singh a terrorist. There writes the answers on her behalf. The party has remained in “I don’t believe in hurting re- was a somersault the But such insulation is not enough. damage-control mode. It is yet to ligious sentiments. That is why I next day at the party’s Her party members are struggling respond to the new crisis. won’t be able to work with her un- insistence. The Election to convince the audiences about her Fatima, a dentistry student who less she apologises for her remarks”, Commission took note of merit as a political leader. contest the November assembly says Fatima. her statement. She has al- The Election Commission has election on the BJP ticket against Pragya Singh had said she was ready been warned over earlier ordered an FIR to be filed the Congress heavy-weight Arif proud of her role in the destruction other such remarks. against her over the boast that she Aqueel, says she had joined the par- of Babri mosque. “We had removed Pragya Singh Thakur, needs a full- A full complement of the sen- climbed the Babri Mosque structure ty on the call of former Chief Min- a blot from the country. We had time firefighting department on her ior party officials such as Prabhat to pull it down and clear the way to ister Shivraj Singh, who has good gone to demolish the structure. I campaign trail. Exasperated party Jha (former state unit president) build the Ram Temple. connect with the Muslim communi- climbed atop the structure and leaders are sweating it out to defend and party vice-president Vinay Sa- The latest issue cropped up with ty. She felt comfortable in the party broke it and I feel extremely proud her frequent inflammatory remarks. hasrabuddhe have been deployed the party leader Fatima Rasool Sid- in spite of elements with communal that God gave me this opportunity”. She has had to retract on her state- to counsel her on public speaking. diqui politely declined to canvass bent of mind. Pragya’s defence is that she made ments or her party had to do that The party has clamped down on for her saying it would be difficult Fatima’s father, late Rasool the statement before being nomi- on her behalf in the past one week interviews. to address the audience in Sadhvi’s Ahmed Siddiqui was a senior Con- nated as a candidate. Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 14 Editorial Election Commission of the Insolent More level playing If one needed proof that the consti- iceberg of money in play for buying tuional institutions of India have votes. Activist and Supreme Court field with a slight tilt been reduced to a sham, the evidence Advocate Prashant Bhushan has said is right before us in broad daylight. the BJP is spending over 90,000 crore Conventional wis- -Amulya Ganguly shove for the BJP, struggling to During this election season, day in for the elections. dom has it that maintain the NDA’s majority in the and day the Moral Code of Conduct At last count there were over 760 the current polls “ The opposition Lok Sabha, it will listen to Odisha’s (MCC) is blatantly being violated in complaints of MCC violations across will not produce can make good the plea for help with greater sympathy. a ‘in your face’ brazenness all over the the country, of which 462 have been a clear-cut result Given such possibilities, it is ob- country, mostly by the BJP, with the accepted by the ECI. Most of these as in 2014. lost ground if the vious that the BJP will not be able to Election Commission of India (ECI) are against BJP members includ- The reason is BJP is foxed by the display the kind of chutzpah that it largely being an onlooker. ing the PM, but the ECI has over- that there is no definite trend for complexities of a does at present. It is bound to be far On one hand, Mr Adityanath, the whelmingly failed to act. The ECI’s or against any party at the national hung parliament” more subdued, a posture it adopted BJP CM of UP says “If the Congress, conduct is so disgraceful that the level although such tendencies are recently when concluding pre-poll SP and BSP have faith in Ali, then Supreme Court had to intervene to there in some states such seat arrangements with we too have faith in Bajrang Bali.” ensure action against Adityanath and as Tamil Nadu. the Shiv Sena, the Janata Ranajit Bahadur Srivastava, another Mayawati. However, in the Dal (United) and the Lok BJP leader, says “Vote for PM Modi More importantly, in these two absence of an all-India Janshakti Party. if you want to destroy the breed of cases, all that the ECI did was to ban “wave”, neither of the How will the na- Muslims.” BJP MP Pramoda Munde them campaigning for 2-3 days, which two main groups of tional opposition fare in even calls for a bomb to be tied to Ra- is inconsequential. The ECI should protagonists - the Na- these circumstances? hul Gandhi before sending him out of have made an example of them to de- tional Democratic Alli- For a start, it will have the country. ter others from emulating them. ance (NDA) led by the to accept the inconven- On the other hand, you have oppo- The ECI says it has no powers Bharatiya Janata Party ient truth about itself that sition members such as BSP supremo to act substantatively on complaints (BJP), and the parties in an inability to get its act Mayawati, Congressman Navjot Sid- of violations. In saying so, and then the “secular” camp - is together to stand united hu and SP leader Azam Khan, among after facing flak from the SC, acting expected easily to cross against the BJP made it against Mayawati, Yogi and Khan, the half-way mark of 272 lose the race. others, appealing to Muslim voters to Chandrashekhar Rao and the ris- on communal and religious lines. the ECI admitted both its complicity seats in the Lok Sabha. Moreover, the ego hassles The general assumption is that ing Andhra Pradesh leader Jagan among its senior leaders which the NDA may barely cross the fin- Mohan Reddy, although both have scuttled the earlier talks about form- It’s time to make appointments to the EC by a committee, ishing line or just fall short while been critical of the BJP. ing a mahagathbandhan (grand as is the case with the appointment of CBI director ... the BJP will not get a majority of its Rao, for instance, had once tak- alliance) with a single opposition own although it is likely to emerge en the initiative to constitute a non- candidate against the BJP in every BJP, non-Congress in in the violations. as the largest party. constituency will continue to help The instances of the widespread Mamata Banerjee’s company, but Instead of the campaigning ban, In that event, there is every the BJP retain its hold on power. violation of the MCC by BJP, and to the project went nowhere. the ECI, for instance, could have possibility of the BJP being given The only card which the a enormously lesser degree other par- Reddy is at present too focussed acted against the three through the the first chance by the President to opposition can play even in its ties, goes on and on. The violations on his battles with Andhra Pradesh local DMs for violations under IPC form a government. Furthermore, fractured state is to assert that have been so gross that none other Chief Minister N. Chandrababu because all MCC violations are pri- there will be no difficulty for it if the 2014 outcome was an aber- than the PM himself, despite the ECI Naidu to pay much attention to marily IPC crimes. Similarly, it could the NDA has a majority. ration caused up by two factors passing orders that defence forces and national politics. But he appears to have directed relevant DMs to regis- However, the thinness of the - the unexpected rise of Narendra defence matters should not be used for have decided to keep his lines open ter FIR’s against all those who had vi- NDA’s lead over the other parties Modi as a popular leader and the campaiging, asks voters “Have we for both the BJP and the Congress. olated IPC provisions while violating can pose a problem. For instance, equally unexpected collapse of kept our nuclear bomb for Diwali?” . Another party whose name the MCC, but it did not. This clearly the critics are bound to interpret the the Congress because of corrup- The PM and BJP President Amit has figured in the speculation is implies not only the ECI’s complicity NDA’s slender majority as a virtual tion - an old malady - and policy Shah, along with opposition leaders, that of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), but also its collusion with the BJP as rejection by the voters of its legiti- paralysis, a new affliction. by virtue of their offices, should be a one-time ally of the BJP which is an overwhelming number of MCC macy in view of the fall in its seats In the absence of either one or setting an example for observing the now engaged in trying to maintain violation complaints are against BJP from the present 336. the other of these two factors, the MCC. The two, however, are the its dominance in Odisha against a folk and the BJP is the prime benefi- There is a political need, there- scene would have been different. ones inludging in it at extreme levels combative BJP which has replaced ciary of the ECI’s inaction. fore, for the BJP to repeat its 2014 In a way, this is what appears to nationwide, campaigning using the the Congress as the BJD’s main op- The present EC has shown that performance if the party wants to be happening at present, with the armed forces and hate speeches to ponent in the state. it is no commission sworn to ensure persist with its current dominance. BJP losing some of its earlier mo- gain votes. This makes them not only At the all-India level, the BJD’s free and fair elections. Rather, it is a The scene will obviously be mentum and the Congress partly the cheerleaders of all those indulging position is for maintaining equidis- Election Commission for the Inso- even worse for the BJP if the NDA recovering its old self under a new in such violations, but also the ones tance from both the BJP and the lent. One does not know whether the is unable to get a majority and there leadership. setting the benchmark for others to Congress. However, Chief Minis- Commission is terrified of the conse- is a hung parliament. It has been From this aspect, there has been emulate. Following their lead, BJP ter Naveen Patnaik is of the view quences of acting against BJP mem- suggested that it will then have to a return to a more or less level play- folk like Pramoda Munde even bet- that he will go with that party at the bers knowing that the BJP would look for potential allies to cross the ing field with a slight tilt in the BJP’s tered them while asking for the use centre which will show special con- come back to power though with far magical figure of 272. favour. But the opposition can make of bombs against political opponents. sideration for the state. lesser numbers and power, or whether In this context, several names good the lost ground if the BJP is At the same time, state machin- It doesn’t take much perspicac- the members were appointed because are already in the air, such as those foxed by the complexities of a hung ery is being used extensively by state ity to believe that if push comes to governments for political activities in- of their loyalty to the BJP. of Telangana Chief Minister K. parliament. cluding providing food to BJP voters, In either case, to have a ECI that atgetting opposition parties and pre- protects free and fair elections it is venting Dalit and Muslim voters from time to make appointments to the EC Politics is not the art of the possible. exercising their right to vote, as in UP. by a committee, as is the case with the It consists in choosing between There has also been widespread appointment of CBI director, com- use of money to buy votes. So far prising of ruling and opposition party the disastrous and theunpalatable the ECI has seized around Rs 8000 leaders to appoint ECI members, not J K Galbraith - Economist crore, which is said to be a tip of the merely the ruling party government. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 15 SP-BSP alliance no Caste favours BJP-SS in MAH reserved seats threat to BJP? The SC/ST voters will play a encies where the SC/ST popula- The Uttar Pradesh unit On the allegation crucial role in deciding the fate tion is more than 20 per cent and of the Bharatiya Janata that Mayawati was on- of candidates in at least 17 out of on six seats the number is more Party (BJP) does not ly fielding strongmen 48 constituencies in Maharashtra than 30 per cent. This include see the SP-BJP alliance as candidates, Pandey where the Bharatiya Janata Party Chandrapur which has 12.40 per in the state as a “threat” said: “Mayawati’s BSP (BJP)- Shiv Sena combine are cent Scheduled Castes and 32.10 to it in the Lok Sabha is contesting 38 seats, looking to repeat their 2014 per- per cent Scheduled Tribe popula- elections as it believes out of which only two formance when they won 42 seats tion. that the works done tickets have been giv- and wiped out Congress-Nation- In 2014 elections, the BJP had by the Central govern- en to the party cadres alist Congress Party (NCP). won 23 seats while Shiv Sena got ment and the persona of while the remaining 32 There are nine reserved seats 18 and one seat went to Swabhi- Prime Minister Naren- have gone to industrial- in Maharashtra -- Ramtek, Am- man Paksha, then part of National dra Modi are enough to ists and outsiders. These ravati, Latur, Solapur, Shirdi Democratic Alliance (NDA), out wipe them out. strongmen were picked (Schedules Castes seats), and of 48 seats in the state. The Con- In an interview with -Vivek Tripathi only after taking a suffi- Gadchiroli-Chimur, Dindori, gress was reduced to 2 and the IANS, state BJP chief Mahendra cient amount. It’s unfortunate. Palghar and Nandurbar (Sched- NCP won 4. Nath Pandey said: “We don’t see It is working on a “The BJP and the other parties uled Tribes seats). The reserved lands of Maha- the alliance of the Samajwadi Party strategy to win the have maintained a distance with Two of the five SC seats rashtra are once again witness- (SP) and the the strongmen, but Mayawati has were won by Shiv Sena and re- ing a fierce battle but BJP-Shiv (BSP) as a threat (in the Lok Sabha elections on the basis shown her double face by giving maining by the BJP in 2014. Sena enjoy a head-start and the elections). BJP is focussing on the of the work done by tickets to them. She only cares for The Congress-NCP will try to NCP-Congress still struggling to works done by the Modi govern- the party workers. wealth, it doesn’t matter if it comes change the equation but they are get the combinations right. ment and his persona.” The party is work- from a criminal or from an industri- placed on sticky wicket because The failure of NCP-Congress Underlining the works done by ing on a long-term alist,” said the BJP state chief. of Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit to bring Prakash Ambedkar into the Yogi Adityanath-led state gov- strategy in the field Pandey also attacked Samajwa- Bahujan Agadi, who has gird up the alliance is expected to hit the ernment, Pandey said: “The Yogi of public welfare di Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, say- with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All In- opposition hard. government is preparing a base in ing, “If he wins even a single seat, dia Majlis-e-Ittegadul Muslimeen The fragmentation of Dalit every section of the society with its the SP should feel very fortunate.” (AIMIM). and Muslim votes is expected to works. It is working on a strategy poor. Therefore, the grand alliance Born and brought up in Gazi- Out of these reserved seats, help the BJP-Shiv Sena which to win the elections on the basis of is neither a challenge, nor a threat,” pur district in Uttar Pradesh, Pan- Nandurbar has the highest ST gets a boost from the committed the work done by the party workers. Pandey said, adding that in the first dey studied journalism from the population of 58.90 per cent while voters of ’s Re- The party is working on a long-term phase of the Lok Sabha polls, every Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Dindori and Palgar have SC/ST publican Party of India (RPI-A). strategy in the field of public wel- section of the society endorsed the and later completed his Ph.D in combine population of over 40 The distribution of tickets on fare,” he said. BJ P. Hindi from there. During his col- per cent. some of the key seats has added “While others are only both- Even the Dalits, who are consid- lege days, he was elected General Maharashtra has 11 constitu- to the drama. ered about coming to power, the ered to be BSP supremo Mayawati’s Secretary of the BHU students’ BJP is focussing on villages and vote bank, have extended their sup- union. working for the upliftment of the port to the BJP, he said. He has a long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Caste could determine (RSS) and became an MLA for the What’s his official religion? first time in 1991. Pandey was ap- poll outcome in AP pointed a Minister in the Kalyan A retired IAS officer, Singh government after his re-elec- Caste arithmetic will again play a who adopted Islam tion in 1996. key role in deciding the winner in three years back while In 2014, he was elected to the the Lok Sabha 2019 elections in serving as Addition- Lok Sabha from the Chandauli Andhra Pradesh. It is to be seen al Chief Secretary in parliamentary constituency. He had whtether the ruling Telugu Des- Rajasthan, has again also served as the Union Minister am Party (TDP) would retain its introduced himself as of State for Human Resource De- hold over Kamma, Kappu and a Hindu while filing his velopment for a year between 2016 Other Backward Castes (OBCs) nomination papers as and 2017. and whether its rival, the YSR the BSP candidate for Congress would get support from general election was 29.10 per cent the Jaipur Parliamen- Reddy, Schedule Caste (SC), Mus- against 28.90 per cent of votes se- tary seat. Speaking to the media, he ex- Dalit Post printed by lims and Christians. cured by the YSR Congress. On December 31, 2015, Umrav plained this contradiction, saying “I Elegant Offset Printers, Im- The TDP, which contested The dynamics have changed Salodiya triggered a controversy could not get permission from the pressions Building, 3360/4, with the BJP in 2015, has 15 Lok a bit in 2019. Kappus have seen by converting to Islam in protest Central government to issue the ga- Gondhalli Galli, Belgaum Sabha MPs while the YSR Con- a split in the community as some against not being promoted as zette notification for a name change 590001 for proprietor and gress won seven seats and the may rally behind new entrant Chief Secretary of the state. He also and hence have to submit my earlier publisher Oliver D’Souza, BJP bagged three. The TDP got ’s Jana Sena Party took a new name - Umraav Khan. name.” 106 out of 175 Assembly seats and which has aligned with the Bahu- Sri Radha Apartments, Flat Alleging bias against him on He also asserted that he remains formed the government. jan Samaj Party and the Left. caste grounds since he belongs to firm on his conversion and consid- 201, Plot 2076, Sector 9, Ra- A caste analysis of 2014 LS The Kappus have been de- the Dalit community, he also quit ers himself a follower of Islam. ni Chenamma Road, MM election results shows TDP and manding reservation which was service six months before retire- “I am contesting the elections Extn Belgaum -590016 Kar- BJP got major support from Kam- promised by the TDP but could ment. to ensure that Dalits get their due nataka State. All rights re- ma, , OBC and Upper caste not be delivered due to legal issues. However, this retired officer rights. Looking at my seniority, I served. News agency cred- communities while the YSR Con- On the other hand, the YSR has again introduced himself as a should have been appointed as the its: IANS. Provisional Title. gress got a major share of Reddy, Congress is consolidating its po- Hindu when he filed his nomina- Chief Secretary of the state which SC, Muslims and Christian votes. Editor: Oliver D’Souza sition among the SC and OBC tion papers. was not done,” he added. The NDA’s vote share in 2014 voters apart from the minorities. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 16 TN’s caste knots in Dalit BJP MP quits, LS contest says party is anti-Dalit Caste intricacies has tied up In Nilgiri, A. Raja is try- Dumped by the BJP, the elections in Tamil Nadu ing his luck again after racing Delhi MP Udit Raj in several knots because of a defeat in 2014, but AIADMK joined the Congress and cluttered four-cornered con- also did not trust sitting MP C. alleged that he was de- test throwing up new factors. Gopalkrishnan and replaced nied a ticket for the Lok The four corners in the him with M. Thiagarajan. Sabha battle because the poll contest are represent- In Kanchipuram, K. BJP was anti-Dalit and ed by AIADMK-led Na- Maratha of AIADMK is because he took a stand tional Democratic Alliance seeking another term in this contrary to BJP’s line on -- comprising BJP, Pattali saree hub facing a challenge many issues. Makkal Katchi, Vijaykanth’s from DMK’s G. Selvam. The North West Del- Desiya Murpokku Drav- -Gautam Datt The Villupuram reserved hi MP switched sides a day after jewala. id Kazhagham and three others; seat is witnessing communal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) AICC General Secretary K.C. the DMK-Congress alliance (also caste violence, temple town Chid- fielded singer Hans Raj Hans in Venugopal said more Dalit leaders including Vaiko’s MDMK, Mus- “The key differences ambaram will see contest between, the reserved seat which Udit Raj would join the Congress. lim League and the Left); besides this year is that the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi represented in the Lok Sabha. Udit Raj claimed that on May debutant Kamal Hassan’s Makkal two national parties (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan Addressing a press confer- 20, 2014, now President Ram Nath Needhi Maiam and the AIADMK’s BJP and the Congress and AIADMK’s P. Chandrasekhar. ence at the party office after join- Kovind met him with his bio-data. breakaway faction led by T.T.V. Di- have aligned with ing the Congress, Udit Raj said: “BJP SC/ST Morcha leader nakaran. “The BJP carried out internal Vivek Sonkar is a witness to that The caste and community vot- regional powerhouses surveys by various agencies of all meeting. He (Kovind) had asked ing pattern of the 2014 elections, AIADMK and DMK” Achche din the seven seats in Delhi, and out me to help him get a proper posi- swept by AIADMK which won of the seven Lok Sabha constitu- tion in the party.” 37 out of 39 Lok Sabha seats (with 39.8 per cent. aur jumla encies the only positive feedback “Kovind also wanted to contest a vote share of 44 per cent), show The total electorate in the state Amid the heated Lok Sabha poll came from my seat. the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Howev- that the party got 50 per cent Thevar is 5.86 crore. 18 per cent of its pop- campaigns making the rounds on “But I was denied a ticket er, he was made the President as and 60 per cent of Uadayar votes, ulation is Dalit, one of the highest in social media, as I took a stand on 14-15 issues he remained silent. If I too had according to a CSDS study. the country, while seven Lok Sabha (RJD) President and former Bihar against the party line, because I remained silent, they (BJP) would It also got 40 per cent of Van- seats are reserved. Chief Minister Lalu Prasad shared was not deaf and dumb. I took a have made me the Prime Minister niyar, 44 per cent Mudliyar, 49 per Among the larger states, Tamil an old dubsmash video of himself stand on the SC/ST Act and sup- some day.” cent other OBCs and 42 per cent of Nadu also has one of the highest mouthing Prime Minister Modi’s ported the Bharat Bandh called Udit Raj said that he had been Muslim votes. The party benefit- literacy rate (73.3 per cent) of SC words promising “achche din” last year.” wanting to join the Congress since ted from the consolidation of OBC population. There are only four dis- back in 2014 during campaigning Udit Raj thanked Congress 2012-13 and Rahul Gandhi knew votes in its favour. tricts in Tamil Nadu -- Thiruvarur, for the Loks Sabha elections. President Rahul Gandhi for ac- about this. The DMK on the other hand got the Nilgiirs, Nagapattinam and Per- Mocking the Prime Minister, cepting him into the party fold. “The BJP is an anti-Dalit party maximum support -- 47 per cent -- ambalu -- where the SC population Lalu Prasad shared the 17-second Party spokesperson Randeep and they don’t want the upliftment from Upper Caste followed by Mu- is less than 30-40 per cent while video on Twitter, captioning it Surjewala slammed the BJP and of Dalits... The BJP keeps harping daliyar (34 per cent) and Muslims in another two -- Viluppuram and “Muft mei le lo 15 lakh, achche din listed several past incidents like that everyone gets an opportunity (31 per cent). Cuddalore, the SC population is less aur jumla” which roughly trans- attacks on Dalits in Una in Guja- in the party but in reality this is not The Bharatiya Janata Party, than 25-30 per cent. lates to “Take for free Rs 15 lakh, rat and the suicide of Hyderabad so.” which won the sole seat of Kanni- Thevar, consisting of sub sects good days and campaign rhetoric”. scholar Rohit Vemula to show Delhi Congress chief and three- yakumari from where Pon Rad- like Kallars, Maravars and Agamu- Prime Minsiter Narendra the ruling party’s bias against the time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit hakrishnan secured a win by over diayars, is one of the key communi- Modi’s voice saying “Every Indian community. said Udit Raj’s joining the party 1.26 lakh votes, got maximum ties in the state commanding signif- will get Rs 15-20 lakh” is vividly “Udit Raj will now strengthen would help it win all the seven Lok support from Thevars and Udayar icant political influence particularly audible in the video in which Lalu the hands of Rahulji,” said Sur- Sabha seats in the national capital. (35 per cent each) and Vanniyar (40 in south Tamil Nadu. Prasad is seen lip-syncing clad in a per cent) communities apart from The AIADMK has got the full grey t-shirt. Christian fishermen and Nadar support of the community but fis- The video doing its rounds caste. sures have appeared after the death on social media, that has already He chopped off his finger The key differences this year of Jayalalitha and may lead to a split gathered 1,600 comments, 2,500 is that the two national parties BJP in Thevar votes. re-tweets and 12,000 likes on after voting for BJP and the Congress have aligned with There are seven reserved con- Twitter at the time of writing this A Dalit man, who accidentally regional powerhouses AIADMK stituencies (SC) in Tamil Nadu report, is aimed at reminding the cast his vote for the Bharatiya Ja- and DMK and the emergence of which include Tiruvallur, Kanchee- people about Modi’s 2014 promises nata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh’s new factors in the form of Dina- puram, Viluppuram, Nilgiris, Chi- of ushering better days and provid- Bulandshahr, has chopped off his karan and Kamal Hassan. dambaram, Nagapattinam and ing financial benefits to the people index finger for the “mistake”. By making an impressive entry Tenkasi. if his party was voted to power. Pawan Kumar, in a video clip in the R.K. Nagar bypolls, Dina- In Tenkasi, AIADMK’s M. Since then, the opposition has that has gone viral on social me- karan’s fight for late Chief Minister Vasanthi had won by 1.61 lakh not missed any opportunity to dia, can be heard saying that he J. Jayalalitha’s legacy makes him the votes last time. This time DMK’s taunt Modi, accusing him of failing got confused with too many sym- “man to watch” in 2019 and could Dhanush Kumar is in fray as party to keep his words inspite of being bols on the voting machine and Singh instead of the Bahujan Samj may well re-cast the caste lines. has fielded a candidate on the seat elected as the Prime Minister of the pressed the wrong button. Party’s Yogesh Varma. According to 2011 census, after 28 years. nation. “I wanted to vote for the ele- He said he was a Dalit and it Tamil Nadu with a population of Tiruvallur is located close to The seven-phase Lok Sabha phant, but I voted for the flower by was his duty to vote for the ele- 7.21 crore, had 20.1 per cent of it as Chennai and is represented by elections commenced with much mistake,” he said in the video. phant (the BSP symbol). He added Scheduled Castes. It has the second AIADMK’s P. Venugopal who had enthusiasm on April 11, spreading Kumar had gone to vote in the that the ink mark on his index fin- largest percentage of SC with 32 per won in 2009 as well. The constitu- across 91 constituencies in 20 states Shikarpur area in Bulandshahr ger reminded him of his mistake cent, second to Puanjab which has ency has strong Vanniyar presence. and Union Territories. and cast his vote for BJP’s Bhola for which he chopped it off. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 17 Newcomers take Lalu’s absence felt in poll season His son Tejashwi Yadav another RJD leader said. is trying his best and so is Senior RJD leader and on stalwarts in UP his wife Rabri Devi, but former Union Minister Raghu- the absence of RJD chief - vansh Prasad Singh, admits and star campaigner - Lalu that Lalu Prasad’s absence mat- Prasad is being earnestly ters for the party. “People are felt by the party in the 2019 missing Lalu’s punchy one-lin- Lok Sabha polls. ers delivered in bucolic style...” This could be seen at Apart from his family, party Tejashwi Yadav’s election and allies, Lalu Prasad’s absence meeting in Khagaria par- has also disappointed those who liamentary constituency on Sat- gap by vigorously campaigning in might not be his voters but still love urday, over a dozen RJD support- support of party candidates as well to listen his famous one liners. ers, mostly youth, held placards as the Grand Alliance, remaining “Lalu Prasad’s unique way saying: “Lalu ji we miss you, we active on social media and fre- of using popular local idioms to need you” and shouted slogans quently interacting with media target his rivals used to make him like “Laluji, we are with you.” and making statements. different from other leaders,” Ir- RJD leaders say that party An effective communicator, shadul Haque, editor of a Hindi supporters have made it clear that Lalu Prasad was popular for his news website here, said. they remain loyal to the RJD chief, rustic style, evinced by his use of Lalu Prasad had aggressively currently behind the bars in Ran- Bhojpuri dialect. “Lalu Prasad’s taken on PM Modi in the 2015 Chandra Shekhar ‘Azad and Amit team is already working in Vara- chi after being convicted in the witty repartee and rustic man- Bihar Assembly polls and score Jani are relatively unknown enti- nasi trying to enlist the support fodder scam cases. nerisms were main source of at- points over him with his banter. ties in Uttar Pradesh politics. of Dalit youth, boatmen and oth- Sensing the effect of Lalu traction during his election meet- Political activist Satyanarayan They have hit headlines oc- er marginalised communities. He Prasad’s physical absence, his wife ings. This time, all this is missing, Madan said only Lalu Prasad had casionally with their fledgling wants the Samajwadi Party, BSP and former Chief Minister Rabri resulting in dull campaigning. the guts to challenge Modi at the outfits but now they are ready to and the Congress not to field can- Devi is herself trying to bridge the Tejashwi is no match for him,” peak of his popularity. make news with their electoral didates but support him instead. debuts. Amit Jani, on the other hand, Chandra Shekhar Azad who started out as a Samajwadi Party Congress-BJP jittered over heads the Bhim Army, a Dal- (SP) youth leader and made head- it outfit, is contesting elections lines in 2012 when he vandalised against Prime Minister Narendra a statue of BSP supremo May- Prakash Ambedkar in Solapur Modi from Varanasi. awati in Lucknow. For a change, in the So- ties ahead of the voting in So- Amit Jani, who heads the Nav The then Chief Minister Akh- lapur Lok Sabha constit- lapur on April 18 (Phase II), Nirman Sena, has announced he ilesh Yadav promptly disowned uency, traditional rivals along with nine other constit- will contest against Samajwadi Amit Jani, a Meerut-based busi- - Sushilkumar Shinde uencies in the state. Party President Akhilesh Yadav nessman, who then formed his (Congress) and Mahas- Ambedkar has the back- from Azamgarh. Nav Nirman Sena. wami Jaisiddheshwar ing of the Bharipa Bahujan Chandra Shekhar became He has been jailed on a num- Shivacharya (Bharatiya Mahasangh-All India Maj- famous in 2017 when his name ber of occasions for announcing Janata Party) - are wor- lis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, came up in the Thakur-Dalit caste training camps for Hindus to fight ried about an unexpected but Shinde boasts of the sup- riots in Saharanpur. He heads the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. common political enemy port of the 56-party Mahag- Bhim Army, which started out as He claimed that he wanted to nur- in Prakash Ambedkar, the athbandhan in the state, and an organisation providing prima- ture a new generation of “Hindut- common candidate of the Vanchit Dalit, Muslim, Dhangar votes Mahaswami Siddheshwar banks ry schooling to mostly Dalit kids va warriors” to fight terror outfits. Bahujan Aghadi and the AIMIM. don’t sway too much in favor of on his own Lingayat support base but has now grown into a formi- “Uttar Pradesh needs a Bala- Shinde, a former Union Home Ambedkar or the Lingayats vote plus the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena dable political force in western saheb Thackeray and that is why Minister and Maharashtra Chief en masse for Mahaswami Sid- combine. Uttar Pradesh. I am here,” he said rather pomp- Minister, is making his fourth bid dheshwar. Though Shinde - who be- Chandra Shekhar spent over a ously. for the Lok Sabha from his home The sole consolation for Shin- longs to a Scheduled Caste - year in jail where he was booked About his decision to pit him- turf, while the BJP’s Mahaswami de would be that the BJP dropped may lose out in the urban centres under the National Security Act self against SP chief Akhilesh Siddheshwar is hoping to sail on its sitting candidate Sharad Ban- which comprise Lingayats-Mus- and his popularity seems to have Yadav, he said: “Akhilesh has the huge chunk of around 3.60 sode, who had vanquished Shinde lims-Dalits population - he is risen with his stint behind the bars. wronged his father Mulayam lakh Lingayat votes. by a margin of 1.50 lakh votes at expected to score big among the When he was recently hos- Singh and his uncle Shivpal Ya- But, this time the going prom- the height of the Modi wave in rural folk with a large dollop of pitalised after being arrested for dav and is not what a youth leader ises was a Clash of Titans with 2014, and the goodwill enjoyed Maratha votes who are likely to alleged violation of prohibitory should be. That is why I am chal- the going tough for both with the by his legislator daughter, Praniti side with Congress this time. orders, Congress General Secre- lenging him.” entry of the formidable Ambed- Shinde, MLA from Solapur City Among the major issues, lo- tary in charge of Eastern Uttar Jani also has a group of young kar - who’s eyeing the three lakh Central. cal VBA-Congress leaders say Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra men who are enthusiastically Dhangar, three lakhs Muslim and The BJP opted for Mahas- that a drought leading to severe visited him in a Meerut hospital, working for him and he plans to 2.50 lakhs Dalit votes, besides wami Siddheshwar in place of shortage of water for drinking which pointed to his growing po- reach Azamgarh next week to over 3.50 lakh Marathas. Bansode - whose chances for a and agriculture, the never-ending litical clout. “challenge Akhilesh Yadav”. Once a Congress bastion - it repeat performance were now farmland crises, the growing un- Initially seen as a possible Though even a political novice held the seat in 12 out of 16 par- considered bleak in the changed employment among rural-urban ally of the Bahujan Samaj Party can see that both Chandra Shek- liamentary elections - the con- circumstances. youth, an anti-incumbency factor (BSP), the Bhim Army is now har and Amit Jani stand no chance stituency has a total of 17,02,755 While Bansode’s supporters coupled with disenchantment to- striking out independently and against the political stalwarts they voters consisting of 893,736 males playing spoilsport are not entirely wards the Prime Minsiter Naren- also posing a threat to Mayawa- claim to be challenging but their and 809,019 females. ruled out, the entry of Ambedkar dra Modi’s government post-de- ti’s party. presence in the electoral area will For Shinde, the challenge - who is also contesting from Ako- monetization and GST, and more, Chandra Shekhar has held undoubtedly give ample fodder to was to retain the traditional Con- la - has made existing calculations would be prominently exploited a road show in Varanasi and his the media. gress voters, plus ensure that the go haywire for the two major par- during the campaign for Solapur. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 18 Caste makes LS contest in Modi misleading the country on quota Karnataka even BSP President Mayawati accused that reservation in jobs and edu- Karnataka’s caste combi- From Chamarajanagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of cation will never be ended. It’s a nations are such placed that another SC seat, BJP candi- misleading the country on reser- jumla, because just like under the apart from the two dominant date V. Srinivas Prasad, five vation. Congress rule, during the BJP communities Lingayats and time MP, is making a come- She was replying to Modi’s government too all SC/ST/OBC Vokkaligas, the political for- back in electoral politics after assertion in Maharashtra’s Nan- reservation benefits were made tunes of any of the parties are a self-declared retirement. He durbar that no one can take away completely ineffective. Why?” difficult to shine without the will take on sitting Congress reservation allotted to some sec- She added: “The BJP and the support of Other Backward MP R. Dhruvnarayana, seek- tions of the society by the author of Prime Minister must also explain Castes (OBCs) and Scheduled ing a third term. the Constitution Dr B.R. Ambed- why their governments at the Cen- Castes (SCs). The Kolar SC seat is also kar as long as (Modi) headed the tre and in the states are not filling If a caste analysis of 2014 a Congress stronghold with government. up lakhs of government jobs re- Lok Sabha elections is taken K.H. Muniyappa winning Writing in a Twitter post, the served for dalits, tribals and oth- into account, the Bharatiya the seat seven times, who is Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief er backward classes (OBCs) and Janata Party (BJP) got maximum 58 per cent Lingayat, 32 per cent seeking another term. The BJP has said: “The Prime Minister is mis- depriving these sections of their support from Lingayats and upper Vokkaligga, 60 per cent upper caste fielded S. Muniswamy against him leading the country by saying due.” caste Hindus. Hindu and 42 per cent each of ST who is giving a tough fight. The Congress drew it’s strength and OBC votes. Muniyyappa, along with from Muslims, Christians and The JD-S, which is contesting Veerappa Moily and Mallikar- Scheduled Castes. in alliance with the Congress this jun Kharge are the prominent Gehlot says Kovind The third force -- Janata time, got 38 per cent votes from Congress faces in the state and Dal-Secular -- was backed most by Vokkaligga, 12 per cent each of all three are facing battle of their remark ‘twisted’ Vokkaligas. Lingayat, OBC and SC votes. lifetime. Out of the 28 seats in the state, Seven seats in the state are re- Kharge is contesting from the BJP had won 17, Congress nine served (five SC and two ST) and in Gulbarga seat. He is looking to and JD-S two in 2014. each one of them the contest is even. stop Lingayats from inclining to- In the last elections, the Con- In Chitradurga reserved seat, wards BJP and keeping hold on gress got 24 percent Lingayat, 23 which goes to polls on April 18, backward and Dalit communities. per cent Vokkaliga, 49 per cent SC, BJP has fielded A. Narayanswamy Moily is facing stiff challenge 65 per cent Muslim and 64 per cent against sitting MP of the Congress from BJP’s Vokkaliga candi- Christian votes. B.N. Chandrappa. Both belong to date B.N. Bachegowda Chikka- The BJP, on the other hand, got the dominant Madiga community. ballapur. Jolt to BSP, Bhim Army extends support to Congress In an unexpected move, the Bhim to which she belongs. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok style, the Chief Minister said he Army announced its support to the Chandra Shekhar has Gehlot says the Bharatiya Janata had only been giving jumlas for Congress, upsetting the Bahujan proudly put up a board Party (BJP) made Ramnath Kov- the past five years. “The BJP is Samaj Party’s apple cart in western saying “The Great ind the President ahead of the 2017 scared about people’s reaction if Uttar Pradesh. Chamar” outside his Assembly elections in Gujarat to real statistics come out on crucial “We are going to support village Dhadkauli in balance caste equations and gar- issues, like jobs, and is therefore the Congress candidate in Saha- Saharanpur. ner votes from a particular com- twisting data. The Congress has ranpur,” said Bhim Army chief “The Bhim Ar- munity. never resorted to such hiding of Chandra Shekhar ‘Azad’. He re- my has played a very Addressing a press conference facts and figures from public.” fused to comment on other seats. clever game. Chandra in Jaipur, Gehlot said, “I had read The BJP hit back saying the It was in Saharanpur that the Shekhar kept praising in an article, they were worried Congress was against the Presi- BSP president had appealed to the BSP but Mayawa- that they might be unable to form dent, who came from a poor Dalit Muslims to vote en masse for the ti kept snubbing him and dubbing served seats. the government in Gujarat. Then community. Party spokesperson alliance and not to split their votes him a BJP agent. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elec- Amit Shah worked his mind -- G.V.L.N. Rao said in New Delhi, by opting for Congress. “He has now played the mas- tions, the BSP failed to win even a Make Kovind ji the President to “We appeal to the Election Com- Interestingly, in her rally, a terstroke by announcing support to single seat. In the 2017 Assembly keep caste’s arithmetic correct.” mission to give a notice to Gehlot large participation of the Bhim the Congress at a time when there polls, it was the BJP that won on 76 “I believe the party therefore and issues a directive that no po- Army volunteers who carried plac- is no time left for any damage con- out of 86 Reserved Assembly seats. decided to make Kovind the Pres- litical party should make a remark ards with photographs of Chandra trol. The BSP will now realise the The BSP’s vote share has also ident, leaving veteran BJP leader critical of the President.” Shekhar, was seen and this is said strength of the Bhim Army,” said gone down from 30.43 per cent in Lal Krishna Advani behind in the Gehlot was quick to send out to have upset the BSP president Kumar Gautam, a Bhim Army 2007. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, race,” he said. a tweet as damage control. “It is who later blasted her party work- supporter. the BSP vote share came down to But when the BJP hit back by unfortunate that my comments ers. The Congress had sensed the 27.4 per cent. urging the Election Commission during the press conference have This development is particular- growing popularity of the Bhim In 2012 Assembly polls, the to take action on the issue, Gehlot been misquoted by a few media ly disturbing for Mayawati since Army and had been quietly culti- party’s vote percentage was 25.9 took the usual route saying “my houses. I have the greatest regards the Bhim Army chief also belongs vating Chandra Shekhar. which came down to 20 per cent comments during the press con- for the President of India, and to the Jatav sub caste among Dal- That the BSP’s vote base has in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. ference have been misquoted by a personally for Ramnathji whom its. been steadily eroding after 2007 The party vote share marginally few media houses.” I have met in person and highly Mayawati, till now, has enjoyed is evident from the fact that they improved in the 2017 assembly Commenting on Prime Min- impressed with his simplicity and complete supremacy over this caste have been steadily losing on re- elections with 22.3 per cent. ister Narendra Modi’s working humbleness,” he wrote. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 19 NDA deftly plays caste card in Bihar Bihar’s ruling National Democrat- also fielded candidates Kumar Paras, a Bihar la for the Lok Sabha elections. ic Alliance (NDA) has played a from the Other Back- Minister and state LJP According to the agreement, calculated caste card in selecting wward Classes (OBCs) President, in his place. the JD-U and BJP will contest 17 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, and the Dalit communi- ’s seats each and the LJP the rest of which was reflected when it an- ty keeping in mind the son Chirag Paswan will the six seats. nounced the list of candidates for winnability factor. contest from Jamui, The JD-U is contesting Val- 39 out of the 40 seats in the state. Other NDA part- while another of his mikinagar, Sitamarhi, Jhanjhar- The lone seat for which a can- ners such as the Janata brothers, Ram Chandra pur, Supaul, Kishanganj, Katihar, didate was not announced was Dal (United) of Chief Paswan, has been field- Purnea, Madhepura, Bhagalpur, Khagaria. Minister ed from Samastipur Gopalganj, Banka, Munger, Na- The Patna Saheb seat in the focused on fielding from where he won in landa, Gaya, Jehanabad, Siwan and state capital is a case in point. The more candidates from 2014. Karakat parliamentary seats. BJP has chosen its senior leader the OBCs, the Econom- The NDA’s list of ca- The BJP is contesting West and Union Minister Ravi Shankar ically Backward Classes nidates was announced Champaran, East Champaran, Sheo- Prasad. Prasad belongs to an up- (EBCs) and Dalits while the Lok during a joint press conference har, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, per caste -- Kayastha. The sitting Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas “Prasad belongs addressed by the BJP’s state-in- Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, BJP MP from the seat, Shatrughan Paswan named candidates mainly charge Bhupinder Yadav in the Ujiyarpur, Begusarai, Sasaram, Au- Sinha, also belongs to the same from the upper castes and the Dalit to an upper caste presence of leaders from the JD-U rangabad, Buxar, Ara, Patna Saheb caste. Shatrughan Sinha after be- community. -- Kayastha. The and the LJP. and Patliputra constituencies. ing denied a ticket by the BJP has In Gaya, the JD-U has pit- sitting BJP MP from The BJP has shifted its fire- The LJP is contesting the quit the party and officially joined ted Vijay Manjhi, a Dalit, against the seat, Shatrughan brand leader and Union Minister Vaishali, Hajipur, Jamui, Khagaria, the Congress party. He will contest ‘grand alliance’ ally Hindustani Giriraj Singh from Nawada to Be- Samastipur and Nawada seats. against Prasad in Patna Sahib. Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Sinha, also belongs gusarai. Nawada went to the LJP The BJP has ceded five seats to The actor-turned-politician has Ram Manjhi, former Bihar Chief to the same caste” under the seat-sharing formula. the JD-U -- Valmikinagar, Gaya, been in the news since 2017 for his Minister and a major Dalit face in “All the Union Ministers from Siwan, Gopalganj and Jhanjharpur attacks on the BJP and Prime Min- the state. BJP, including Radha Mohan Singh -- that it won in 2014. ister Narendra Modi in particular. The JD-U has fielded Ajay a strong support base among them. from Motihari, Ram Kirpal Yadav The BJP-led NDA won 31 of “The Patna Saheb constituency Mandal, an EBC, from Bhagalpur So it’s natural for the party to give from Patliputra, Ashwani Choubey the 40 seats in the state in 2014. Of reportedly has a sizeable number of to challenge Rashtriya Janata Dal’s more tickets to EBC candidates,” from Buxar and R.K. Singh from this, the BJP won 22 seats, the LJP Kayastha voters. Taking this into (RJD) sitting MP Bulo Mandal. said a JD-U leader. Ara, were given tickets,” Yadav 6 and the Upendra Kushwaha-led consideration, the NDA has picked Similarly, it fielded EBC candidate The LJP, meanwhile, has fo- said. Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) Prasad as Sinha’s replacement,” R.P. Mandal from Jhanjharpur, cused mainly on the Paswan family Only one Muslim candidate 3. The RLSP has joined the opposi- said a BJP leader. which has a sizeable EBC popula- and upper caste leaders. figures in the NDA list -- JD-U’s tion Grand Alliance this time. While the BJP primarily fo- tion. With LJP chief Ram Vilas Mahmood Ashraf from Kishan- The JD-U, not part of the NDA cused on naming candidates from “In the last 14 years, Nitish Ku- Paswan not contesting from Haji- ganj. then, had contested the 2014 elec- the upper castes, considered the mar has worked a lot for empow- pur this time, the party has fielded The NDA had earlier officially tions on its own and won only two party’s traditional support base, it ering the EBCs. The JD-U enjoys Paswan’s younger brother Pasupati announced the seat-sharing formu- seats -- Purnea and Nawada. “Fair polls impossible Tribunal stays EC suspension with Yogi’s actions” of IAS officer BSP chief Mayawati The Bengaluru Bench of the said the headquar- has said it was im- Central Administrative Tribunal ters of 48-year-old possible to hold free (CAT) stayed the suspension of Mohsin will be the and fair Lok Sabha Karnataka cadre IAS officer Mo- office of the Chief elections if UP Chief hammed Mohsin by the Election Electoral Officer of Minister Yogi Adi- Commission (EC) for inspecting Karnataka in Ben- tyanath kept visiting the helicopter of PM Modi at galuru in place of temples and hous- Sambalpur in Odisha on April Sambalpur. es of Dalits despite 16 as an election observer. Mohsin, how- curbs on him by the “The suspension order issued ever, reported to Election Commis- by the EC cannot, on the face of Bengaluru on April sion. it, lie. It is hereby stayed. Appli- 23, when polling “Yogi is openly flaunting the came a day after Adityanath vis- cant will be eligible to re-join his for the remaining 14 Lok Sabha advice of the SPG officials. The ban on him by the Election Com- ited the Hanumangarhi temple in former position under the gov- seats in the western and northern SPG, however, complained to the mission by visiting temples in Ayodhya and a Hanuman temple ernment of Karnataka without regions of the southern state was EC that the SPG protectees must different cities and having food in in Lucknow. any further ado about it,” said held. be exempt from such intrusions the homes of the Dalits by getting The Election Commission has Tribunal Member K.B. Suresh Staying the suspension, the into their private life,” observed media coverage and publicity. But curbed Adityanath from cam- in the order. Tribunal said the charge against the member. the Election Commission is kind paigning for 72 hours for making Modi was on an election tour Mohsin was he checked the chop- Noting that even the SPG pro- to him. Why?” she tweeted in communal remarks at an election in the eastern state for the Bhara- per though the Prime Minister tectees were not eligible for any- Hindi. rally in Meerut. The ban came in- tiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candi- was exempted from it under the thing and everything, the Tribu- “If this kind of bias will con- to force from Tuesday morning. dates contesting in the Lok Sabha Z-plus security category of the nal cited a news report indicating tinue towards the BJP leaders by The poll panel also barred and the state Assembly elections Special Protection Group (SPG). that heavy packages were taken the Election Commission, then Mayawati from campaigning for being held in four phases from “The applicant (Mohisn) away from the Prime Minister’s it is impossible that the elections 48 hours for giving a speech urg- April 11 to April 29. claims that he had advised the cavalcade into another vehicle will be free and fair,” she added. ing Muslim voters to not split their Interestingly, in another or- accompanying officials to vid- and sped away in another vehicle The former UP CM’s remarks votes. der on April 20, the poll panel eograph the process with the in Karnataka. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1 -April 30, 2019 20 First three phases not RJD manifesto favorable for BJP promises reservation The BJP is going to get their feel for the emergence of a Bihar’s opposition Rash- biggest setback in UP and non-BJP government, feel tiya Janata Dal (RJD) has Bihar and this has been fol- that even at this fag end of promised reservation for lowed in Chhattisgarh where the campaign, there can be the Dalits, OBCs, EBCs polling was held for seven some tactical understanding and tribals in the private seats in the third phase between the RJD and the CPI sectors in it manifesto. Nitya Chakraborty/IPA in favor of Kanhaiya Kumar. RJD leader Tejashwi Updated: 25 Apr 2019, As the CPI and the CPI(M ) Yadav, who released the 9:11 AM leaders have been explaining manifesto at party head- The people have finally that there was no reason for quarters in Patna, said the spoken through their ballots not including the CPI and the aim was to provide “bread to each the RJD has ensured to conduct a in the first three phases of the Lok -Nitya Chakraborty CPI(M) within the alliance since plate and pens to all hands”. caste-based census in 2021. Sabha elections covering 302 seats the Left has for long been collabo- “We are committed to social Tejashwi Yadav said the party up to now. This is more than fifty “Despite all talk of rating with the RJD in fighting the justice and will implement re- has decided to spend 6 per cent of five percent of the total 543 seats the saffrons against BJP in Bihar. It is of big importance maining recommendations of the the GDP on education and 4 per and the indications from the poll- Ghatbandhan in UP to defeat the highly communal BJP Mandal Commission,” he said. cent on healthcare. ing covering all the states suggest and Bihar, the alliance candidate Giriraj Singh. At this Tejashwi Yadav, former Dep- RJD has promised a tax free that the BJP has been losing in its moment, KK is the only opposition uty CM and younger son of RJD toddy to woo a particular Dalit strongholds and this loss will be dif- has done extremely candidate who can defeat him. chief Lalu Prasad, said if his party community and to give a relief ficult to be made up in the next four well as of now” As regards Western India, there was voted to power, a helpline for to millions of daily consumers phases of the poll. is bad news for the BJP. In Maha- Bihari migrant workers would be of it. The political analysts who have and the trends of April 23 polling in- rashtra, polling was held for 14 seats set up to provide them with help. As per the seat sharing formu- closely followed the trend in poll- dicated a sweep by the Congress as in third phase. In 2014 elections, the He also said that his party will la of the Grand Alliance, the RJD ing have observed that the BJP has against the BJP. However what was BJP-Shiv Sena combination got 10 implement a 200-point roster and will contest 19 of the 40 seats and fared badly in Uttar Pradesh and most surprising, according to the out of 14 while the Congress NCP will amend the Constitution for the Congress nine, while smaller Bihar in their strongholds and de- poll analysts, was the reports from alliance got 4. This time trends indi- reservation for government jobs. parties will be in contention in the spite all talk of the saffrons against Bihar where polling was held for cate that the BJP will be losing few According to the manifesto, remaining constituencies.0D Ghatbandhan in UP and Bihar, the five constituencies. Trends showed seats and the UPA tally may go up alliance has done extremely well as that in all five, the alliance of Con- to eight. If this trend continues in of now. gress-RJD had an edge. If this can the next phases in Maharashtra, that “Mulayam a genuine But the BJP is not getting any be repeated in the remaining phase will dash all plans of BJP. In fact seat in Kerala despite all the hype of the polls in Bihar, the NDA’s the top leadership of BJP is pinning OBC leader” over Sabarimala. The seats will be hopes of a comeback will be dashed hopes on maintaining their numbers shared by the UDF and the LDF. and Nitish Kumar will be losing all in Maharashtra and Gujarat but it BJP has little hopes in other south- his political clout. will be a setback in both the states. ern states also including Tamil Na- In the next phase on April 29, In Gujarat, in 2014 Lok Sabha du and Andhra Pradesh. Begusarai from where CPI candi- elections, the BJP made a clean sweep But BJP is going to get its big- date Kanhaiya Kumar is contesting by getting all 26 seats. This time, the gest setback in UP and Bihar and has emerged as the symbol of a party leadership was hoping to get a this has been followed in Chhattis- new political agenda. The way KK minimum of 24 seats, but the trends garh where polling was held for sev- is getting support from all sections show that the Congress may get seven en seats in the third phase. Congress of the people irrespective of the to eight seats. Both the states will give is expected to repeat its assembly is phenomenal a jolt to the BJP coming to power after performance in the Lok Sabha poll and all right thinking persons who May 23. -Source: IPA

72 Gurugram villages threaten Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Min- leader like Prime Minister Na- isters Mulayam Singh Yadav and rendra Modi who claims to be a to boycott polls Mayawati erased 24 years of bitter OBC leader but has done nothing Residents of 72 villages in Gur- Lok Sabha elections on May 12 2010 ruled in favor of the farmers hostilities and shared the same plat- for OBCs and Dalits,” she said. ugram’s IMT Maneser area may if Chief Minister Manohar Lal and enhanced the compensation form in Mainpuri where the BSP “Ensure the victory of Mu- boycott the Lok Sabha elections Khattar and sitting BJP MP from amount to Rs 2.81 crore per acre,” President took on Prime Minister layam Singh Yadav. His son Akh- after the Haryana State Industrial Gurugram Rao Inderjit Singh do Moolchand said. Narendra Modi while the Samajw- ilesh Yadav is carrying forward and Infrastructure Development not sort out the matter. “The farmers took the revised di Party patriarch declared that this his father’s legacy,” she added, Corporation (HSIIDC) served no- According to Moolchand, the compensation amount from the will be his last election. referring to the other former UP tices to take back Rs 35 lakh from sarpanch of Dhana village, HSI- HSIIDC, but a private company The two leaders sat side by CM who too later took on Modi. a compensation amount given to IDC had acquired 1,700 acres went to the apex court, urging that side even as the crowds lustily In her speech, Mayawati said: the farmers for land acquisition. of land for the Phase 1 of IMT the compensation given was too cheered the alliance. Mulayam “You must ensure a historic win The notices were served to Maneser in 2002-03, fixing a high compared to the current mar- Singh Yadav introduced her to for Mulayam Singh Yadav.” meet the directives of a February compensation amount of Rs 75 ket price,” said Devender Master Samajwadi Party workers and In his brief speech, Mualayam 8 Supreme Court order to reverse lakh per acre. of Baskusla village. asked them to touch her feet to Singh Yadav welcomed the BSP the compensation amount in a “Since the compensation “The Supreme Court on Feb- show their respect. leader and asked party workers to time bound manner till June 30, amount was low as compared to ruary 8, 2019 directed the HSI- In her speech, Mayawati said treat Mayawati with respect because 2019. the market price, we challenged IDC to take back the additional that Mulayam Singh Yadav was a she had come to campaign for him. They have threatened that the HSIIDC decision at the court compensation amount of Rs 35 genuine backward caste leader who He also asked the people to the residents of 72 villages in the of the Additional District Judge lakh per acre. This reversal of the had united various caste groups. ensure his victory with a greater Maneser area would boycott the (ADJ). The court on January 27, court order is unacceptable. “He is not a fake (farzi) OBC majority than ever before. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 21 Why the EC is unable to Mistakes Rahul has made Although the latest poll surveys suggest that the enforce model code BJP may not be able to Even before voting has tak- can issue legally enforceable get a majority of its own en place for the first phase orders for regulating unreg- in the ongoing polls, the in the seven-phase general ulated areas, for which it has leaders of the mahagath- elections, the Election Com- enormous powers, Achary bandhan are bound to mission (EC) is struggling added. regret their lost oppor- with a series of poll-code vi- “EC has enormous pow- tunity. olations, with more piling up ers under Article 324 to issue If they had only been every day. any kind of direction and able to overcome their Experts feel that with no order to regulate and con- self-centred political in- exemplary punishment for duct elections in free and fair stincts and learnt to com- have been pleased by this devel- such violations, the poll-pan- manner. That’s a mandate promise, the BJP would have been opment. Even Priyanka Gandhi’s el’s effectiveness in enforcing the given by the Constitution. EC has in greater trouble. appointment as the Congress Gen- model code is in question. “Since the MCC is not to decide when and how to use thse Now, the various regional sa- eral Secretary in eastern UP gave The ruling Bharatiya Janata powers to regulate the conduct of traps and the Congress will have to the signal that the party was fight- Party (BJP) is also facing criticism a“legally enforce- elections,” he said brace themselves to spend another ing the opposition gathbandhan in for allegedly violating the model able” document, I won’t comment on whether five years in the political wilder- the state rather than the BJP. code with impunity, bringing into there is rarely any it (Modi’s speech, given clean chit ness as the BJP gains ground by Rahul Gandhi made the same question the fairness of the elec- punishment for by EC on Friday) was a violation virtue of being the largest party mistake in West Bengal where he tions. The poll panel has received those who violate of model code or not but even if it and the leader of the largest group. accused Chief Minister Mamata complaints against Prime Minister was, what action can EC take? I There is little doubt that Rahul Banerjee of making “false prom- Narendra Modi himself for alleged- it, and hence the don’t think it can take any specific Gandhi will have to share much of ises”. ly misusing his position for electoral violations continue decisive action against the PM and the blame for this turn of events. Again, since the Congress is gain through his “Mission Shakti” as the EC is “power- his government,” he said. As the Congress president, it was not much of a player in West Ben- address to the nation. less” in that sense” Psephologist and Swaraj India incumbent upon him to reach gal where the BJP has edged over The EC has also received com- leader Yogendra Yadav also ques- out with greater zeal towards the both the Left and the Congress, plaints against government compa- tioned the sanctity of the MCC and seemingly stiff-necked state-level there was little to gain by criticiz- nies like Air India and Indian Rail- the poll panel takes on Namo TV asked whether it would now be a leaders who have retained their ill- ing someone who was trying to ways for using Modi’s pictures on after receiving a response from the case of “Model Code of Conduct will against the 134-year-old one- form a gathbandhan. their tickets and IRCTC using the Information Ministry. for opposition, but Modi Code of time behemoth. Considering that Rahul Gan- BJP’s slogan ‘Main Bhi Chowk- Both Yogi and Naqvi are ex- Conduct for the BJP?” Rahul Gandhi’s first outreach dhi was hailed as a possible prime idar’ on cups used to serve tea in pected to respond to the poll panel “The Election Commission was should have been towards Maya- ministerial candidate by, among trains. in the coming days. never so pliant in the last three dec- wati, especially after the signs of others, H.D. Kumaraswamy, Even before there was clarity On Kalyan Singh, the EC wrote ades. Sad day,” he said. her bonhomie with Sonia Gandhi the DMK’s M.K. Stalin and the on the complaint against release of to the President who, in turn, has The poll panel held a series of at H.D. Kumaraswamy’s swear- RJD’s Tejashvi Yadav, the Con- a film based on Modi’s life, starring forwarded the letter to the Home meetings with Internet companies ing-in ceremony last summer. gress president can be said to have Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, the Ministry for taking action on the earlier this month and arrived at a Even after Mayawati walked had a head start over other as yet case of ‘Namo TV’ - a channel ded- Rajasthan Governor’s remarks. code for social media on the lines away from an alliance with the unannounced contenders. icated to Modi’s rallies and speech- The Odisha and West Bengal of MCC. While Internet companies Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rahul Gandhi was also en- es - suddenly surfacing on televi- governments have claimed that the have been prompt in removing vi- Chhattisgarh, she had said that she trusted with drafting a com- sion without subscribers opting respective State Election Commis- olating posts on intimation by the had complaints only against Dig- mon minimum programme at a for it took social media by storm. sions have stopped their welfare EC, they have, however, been un- vijaya Singh, who, she thought, meeting hosted by Sharad Pawar The Congress and the Aam Aadmi schemes in view of the Model Code able to check the menace of misin- was a BJP agent, and that she had where Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Party have already filed a complaint of Conduc (MCC), while a similar formation and preventing violations nothing against Sonia Gandhi and Pradesh Chief Minister Chan- against the channel with the EC. PM-Kisan scheme of direct income in the first place. Rahul Gandhi. drababu Naidu and Delhi Chief Besides, there are the cases of support for farmers announced by Cyber expert Prashant Mali Yet, from that time onwards, Minister Arvind Kejriwal were Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Modi had been permitted which feels that it is not just the poll panel her attitude towards the Congress present along with others like Fa- Adityanath describing the Indian would allow the government to but also the social media algorithms started hardening. This was the rooq Abdullah. It showed the Con- army as ‘Modiji ki sena’ (Modi’s credit Rs 2,000 each to farmers’ which have to be responsible for period when Rahul Gandhi should gress president’s rising stature. army) - a phrase reiterated by senior accounts. stoppiung such violations. have taken the initiative to keep the Not long afterwards, there BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Constitution expert P.D.T. “The social media companies Congress’s ties with her alive by was talk about a Congress-Aam - and Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Achary says that since the MCC promised EC that their platforms allaying her suspicions about the Admi Party (AAP) alliance being Singh saying Modi’s re-election is not a “legally enforceable” doc- won’t be used for political purpos- Grand Old Party trying to wean formed in Delhi. Moreover, Rahul was necessary “for the sake of the ument, there is rarely any punish- es. If they are not able to stop such away the Dalits from her party. Gandhi was said to be in favour of country and society”. ment for those who violate it, and things, then it means their algo- But the Congress not only al- such a pact. But nothing came of it In almost all these cases, the EC hence the violations continue as the rithms are not mapped to the elec- lowed the relations with the BSP to and, once again, the BJP is likely has so far failed to take any concrete EC is “powerless” in that sense. tion code of India,” he said. deteriorate but even made it worse to be the gainer from a three-cor- action which could act as deterrent “Of course, there is a provision While the Election Commis- by reaching out to the rival Dalit nered fight, as in UP. for others violating the model code. in the Allotment of Symbols Order sion has already launched a “cVIG- leader, Chandrashekhar Azad Rahul Gandhi has succeeded While it has given a clean chit to which says that if there is a violation IL” mobile app which allows citi- “Ravan”. Considering that Akh- in shedding his “Pappu” image of Modi’s “Mission Shakti” address, of the MCC, and also of other direc- zens to report violations and post ilesh Yadav did not want the ties being a part-timer in politics who the poll panel has taken no stringent tions of the EC, then the recognition live photos or videos, Mali feels of the SP-BSP combine with the cannot be taken seriously. But he action against the Air India and the of the party can be temporarily or there should be dedicated teams to Congress to fray beyond a point, is yet to learn that he and the par- Indian Railways for their violations permanently withdrawn. Apart check violations on social media. Rahul Gandhi might have enlisted ty will have to tailor their policies in the first place, notwithstanding from that, there is no provision for “I think with all the recent his support to mollify Mayawati. in accordance with the existing the corrective action later. any kind of punishment,” he told steps, we have been able to check Instead, it appeared that the circumstances and opportunities, The EC had not decided on the IANS. only 20 per cent of misuse of social Congress’s main adversary in UP and not out of pique or hubris, as release of the Modi biopic as yet. It While the MCC is not legally media. A lot needs to be done,” he was the SP and the BSP and not the Congress appears to have done also remains to be seen what action enforceable, the poll body, however, said. the BJP. The latter could not but in UP. - Amulya Ganguli Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 22 Conspicuous absence of Did PM manipulate his many UP heavyweights caste for poll benefit? In 2014, they were an im- campaign and the octogenar- Accusing Prime Minister Naren- ister a lowly person and always portant part of the election ian leader is now restricted dra Modi of including his caste in treated him with all due respect campaign. They were deci- to campaigning for himself the list of backwards during his as a member of an upper caste. sion makers of their respec- from his Mainpuri Lok Sab- tenure as the Gujarat chief minis- “Then, how does the issue of tive parties, and they helped ha seat. ter, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo calling him ‘neech’ arise? This in candidate selection and Other senior SP leaders Mayawati said the PM had done makes me feel that he considers managed the campaign. who had been a part of the this for electoral profits and to kill the upper-caste society as lowly,” In 2019, they are not on- election campaigns in the the rights of the backward castes. she said. ly missing from the limelight past but are conspicuous by Addressing a press conference The BSP chief alleged that but have even been forgotten their absence this time are in Lucknow, Mayawati said, “In Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Ja- by their own party workers. former MPs Beni Prasad order to derive political profits nata Party considered the Dalits In 2014, Kalyan Singh was the “This is a clear indi- Varma and Reoti . during elections, he (Modi) got as lowly. cornerstone of the Bharatiya Ja- Most veteran BSP leaders like his upper caste included in the list Asserting that this attitude of nata Party’s OBC politics in Uttar cation that the old Swami Prasad Maurya and Na- of backward castes. Like (Sama- the saffron party was evident in Pradesh that helped chart the in- order is changing in seemuddin Siddiqui have also quit jwadi Party patriarch) Mulayam the case of Dalit research schol- credible victory of the party. the BJP and a new the party, leaving the party without Singh Yadav and (SP chief) Akh- ar Rohit Vemula’s death and the Party workers flocked to his res- any second rung leadership apart ilesh Yadav, Modi was not born in 2016 incident in Gujarat’s Una idence, sought his advice on crucial brand of piolitics from Satish Chandra Misra. a backward caste.” in which the members of a Dalit issues and many others sought his is taking shape” One leader whose absence is “Today, at Kannauj, he (Modi) family were flogged in public, recommendation for a ticket. being deeply felt in the elections is said Behenji and Akhilesh think she said, “Hence, in this election, After the formation of the Modi Former Assembly Speaker Kes- former SP leader Amar Singh. of him as a lowly (neech) person the BJP and the Congress are not government at the centre, Kalyan ri Nath Tripathi is another leader Amar Singh is in hospital and as he hails from a backward caste. going to get any political mileage Singh was appointed the Governor who left a vacuum in BJP politics in unable to campaign for Jaya Prada Their (BJP’s) Dalit-backward card by playing the Dalit and backward of Rajasthan and his absence form Uttar Pradesh after being appointed who is contesting the Rampur Lok is not working anymore,” she add- castes card.” Uttar Pradesh politics is being deep- the Governor of West Bengal. Sabha seat. ed. “And after this press confer- ly felt by his supporters. and Uma Though Amar Singh still posts Terming Modi’s allegation as ence, I think Prime Minister Modi Another popular leader whose Bharti have also remained invisi- his appeal for Jaya Prada on the ‘mischievous’, the former Uttar may himself stop the politics of gubernatorial assignment took him ble in the BJP campaign after they social media, his active presence Pradesh chief minister said she playing the backward card,” she away from active politics is former were denied ticket for the general would have given the mush needed never considered the prime min- added. Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon. elections. edge to the BJP campaign in Ram- Tandon’s house in Lucknow Vinay Katiyar, once a firebrand pur. was a pilgrimage of sorts for BJP Hindu leader in the Ayodhya move- “This is a clear indication that Run for votes... workers and the veteran leader ment, is also not visible in the elec- the old order is changing and a new welcomed everyone with a smile. tion campaign. brand of politics is taking shape. Tandon was appointed Governor of In the Samajwadi Party, its We will all have to get used to this,” Bihar last year and his house wears founder Mulayam Singh Yadav says political scientist and state NCP a deserted look in these elections. has been excluded from the party’s president Ramesh Dixit. Agra’s ‘satta bazaar’ sizzles in electoral heat The Agra ‘satta bazaar’, in- Chahar, the Bharatiya Ja- famous for swaying politi- nata Party (BJP) contest- cal trends with huge stakes, ant. is sizzling in the political The ‘satta bazaar’ heat generated by the stag- seems to have received a gered Lok Sabha elections big boost from the road A run for vote mini-marathon was ganised by Nodal Officer Leh and spread over seven phases. show of Prime Minister held to prompt voters to exercise his team. Insiders say the stakes Narendra Modi in Varana- their democratic rights in Jammu “All the district officers, reli- are high and multi-target- si and many are claiming and Kashmir’s Leh district. gious and social heads, teaching ed, from victories to de- a majority of seats for the Brand Ambassador of Jammu fraternity and students participat- feats and margins. BJP in Uttar Pradesh. and Kashmir Election Authori- ed in the mini-marathon. “So far, the wind is The informal, black ty Sana Dua, along with District Sana appealed to voters to ex- blowing National Demo- money-backed betting Election Officer (DEO), Leh, ercise their voting right on May 6 cratic Alliance’s (NDA) rackets have been fairly Avny Lavasa and General Ob- for the Lok Sabha elections. way. The gathbandhan (alliance) (BSP) supremo Mayawati would active but the clandestine nature of server, Alkesh Kumar Sharma “Addressing the gathering, in Uttar Pradesh has good support join the NDA, ditching Samajwa- operations prevents verification of today flagged off a Mini Mara- Avny Lavasa appealed the elector- among betting circles,” said Nan- di Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, claims. thon from Leh Stadium, an official ate of Leh to come out and cast their dan Guru of Belanganj area. or whether the NDA would get 325 Opposition leaders say that statement said. votes enthusiastically. A special Punters in Bhairon Bazaar are plus seats. ‘satta bazaar’ trends are manip- “The marathon culminated appeal was made to all the eligible a little cautious, treading with care, At the local level, Raj Babbar, ulated by BJP supporters and are at Leh main Bazaar amid a huge students to become ambassador of but the general trend in favor of Ra- the Congress candidate from Fate- therefore not reliable. But it is a gathering. election and take the message of hul Gandhi’s Congress is negative, hpur Sikri, has managed to secure known fact that the ‘satta bazaar’ “The marathon with the objec- ethical voting to their family, rela- according to Hari Gopal. some support from the betters, but rackets do a roaring business dur- tive to promote voter awareness tives, neighbors and friends to keep Bets have been placed on the stakes continue to remain high- ing elections, not just in Agra, but and educate the target population up the spirit of healthy democracy,” whether Bahujan Samaj Party er for him compared to Raj Kumar also in Hathras and Mathura. about EVM and VVPAT, was or- said a statement. Lok Sabha Polls 2019... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com March 1- April 30, 2019 23 “2019 polls to decide fate Jobs remain top of democracy” concern for voters Unemployment remains the country, Goods Pakistanis, but he himself invited the leading concern for & Services Tax Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif for his the people as they are killed businesses. swearing-in, went to celebrate (Sha- far more worried about Spiking the Rs rif’s) birthday. Was it really neces- economic issues than 500-Rs 1000 notes sary?” Thackeray demanded. security, according to the only benefited the He said that the most number of CVOTER-IANS tracker. BJP. It is blowing soldiers have been killed on the bor- In a survey carried money during the ders in the past five years, but Modi out on April 26, 28.42 Lok Sabha elec- never showed remorse, he and others per cent of respondents tions and all the have “insulted” our jawans many identified unemployment Assembly elections times in the past, but now political- as their main concern. In ly exploiting their sacrifices to seek a sample of 11,672, 57.04 per cent has gradually come down as un- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena votes. felt economic issues as one of the employment poses challenge. On (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has “You must be on “For all this, Modi should apolo- major problems in the country and April 27, there was a difference of warned the people of the country to guard now and en- gise to the armed forces,” Thacker- 11.74 per cent expressed security 45.3 percentage points between beware as the 2019 parliamentary sure that neither the ay said, adding that the maximum concerns as the main worry. economic and security issues with elections outcome would decide BJP nor its allies are number of soldiers from the state Unemployment has remained balance tilting heavily in favour of whether democracy will survive or hail from Satara. as the top issue even before the the former. pave the way for autocracy. voted back to power Referring to taunts by Chief poll process began. But in mid- Even among states, the voters Targetting PM Modi and BJP- for safeguarding Minister Devendra Fadnavis and March, the concerns about secu- in Punjab are most worried about President Amit Shah at a large rally your future” other BJP leaders on why the MNS rity issues came almost at par with jobs as 49.21 per cent of respond- in Satara, he said that they have dis- was organising rallies in the state economic problems. ents said unemployment was top played “all signs of autocracy, curb- although it was not contesting the The poll tracker in the first most concern. Among the states ing freedom of speech, gagging the held in the past five years. It has built elections, Raj hit back: “It doesn’t week of March had shown that where unemployment was voted media and enslaving the masses as a lavish 7-star party headquarters. mean I cannot speak against the in- terror attacks had overtaken un- most include Jammu and Kashmir was done by the Adolf Hitler. From where has all this money justice meted out by Modi-Shah in employment as the top issue for (44.63 per cent in a sample of 698), “Modi has been only speaking come?” Thackeray said, amidst the country. I will expose in the pub- the voters. On March, 26.12 per Uttarakhand (43.10 per cent in a lies since five years. You must be on rounds of applause. lic domain all the falsehoods perpe- cent of respondents had identified sample of 562), Jharkhand (39.72 guard now and ensure that neither Playing video clips of Modi trated by them in past five years.” terror attacks as main concern per cent in a sample of 403), Delhi the BJP nor its allies are voted back before and after he became PM, he He pointed out that it was Chha- while 21.74 per cent had said un- (37.11 per cent in a sample of 316) to power for safeguarding your fu- said when Modi was in opposition, trapati Shivaji Maharaj who first op- employment. and Madhya Pradesh (33.95 per ture,” Thackeray cautioned. he questioned then PM Manmohan posed the Mughals and the British The concerns about security cent in a sample of 413). He said that during his entire Singh how did RDX come into In- rulers. “So why can’t a Maharashtri- tenure, Modi has been speaking a dia for terror attacks. an be the first to speak out against lot about previous governments, but “But he has not answered from the despotism of Modi-Shah?” Polls halfway, SM not a word about his own five-year where the RDX -- which killed 40 Thackeray called upon the peo- tenure, Make in India, Skill India, troopers in the Pulwama attacks of ple to exercise their franchise with still fighting fake news Startup India, Swachh Bharat, etc. February 14 -- came into the coun- extreme caution as it would decide “Demonetisation gobbled up try? Modi asked Singh to avenge the very future of democracy and The great Indian four-and-half to five crore jobs in one Indian soldier by killing four their own freedom. election season has hit midway but social media platforms are still scrambling to BSP in bind over Dalit youth connect control the spread of Midway though the Lok Sabha strategy. election-related mis- elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party “The social information. (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh is caught in media is now an Social media a bind. The party has failed to create important part of “warriors” are busy a plan to reach out to youth voters campaigning, es- propagating “re- who now form a sizeable segment pecially among worked” and “reori- of its vote bank. youth, but the BSP ented” content relat- The BSP has failed to effective- does not believe so. ed to political news, els, say experts. ly establish its presence on the social This is going to be government scams, historical “Over 90,000 groups on media and does not encourage indi- a major disadvan- myths, patriotism and nation- WhatsApp and more than 200 vidual leaders to do the same. tage for us.” con- alism on Facebook, WhatsApp fake Facebook Pages and ac- “All other political parties are fessed the party and Twitter. counts are currently influencing going full steam on the social media functionary. “Apart from the fake news the group members and follow- but the BSP does not go beyond offi- What is adding to the BSP’s the BSP of giving 42 per cent of and doctored contents, chat bots ers with biased political content,” cial statements for which Mayawati worries is the fact that the Bhim seats to upper caste candidates who are sending bulk WhatsApp mes- said Mishra. has her own Twitter handle. Party Army is marching ahead, creating form barely 16 per cent of the pop- sages on active mobile numbers, The content involves fake sta- leaders are not allowed to promote footprints’ among Dalit youth. After ulation. He said that the upper caste not only on WhatsApp but on tistics of the government’s poli- the party on the social media and being initially soft towards the BSP, should have been given seats in pro- Facebook Messenger as well,” cies to news prompting regional our meetings are not streamed live,” Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar portion to their population. nation’s leading social media ex- violence, from manipulated po- said a party functionary. has now launched a full blown war Chandra Shekhar’s allegations pert Anoop Mishra told IANS. litical news, government scams, BSP leaders are apparently against Mayawati after she accused are flooding the social media and Despite Facebook’s efforts, historical myths, propaganda to worried that they may lose out on him of being a ‘BJP agent’. there has been no effort to counter such misinformation is thriving patriotism and Hindu national- youth support due to faulty political Chandra Shekhar has accused the same from the BSP. and has reached mammoth lev- ism. Wide Angle... www.dalitpost.com Dalit Post The only monthly of its kind March 1- Aril 308, 2019 24 Call for external action by India pushes African right to permanent UNSC EU against caste... India has stressed Africa’s right to process of the General Assembly,” representation among the ranks he said. “We must take action to- based on caste (work and descent)”. of the permanent members of the wards early reform.” The guidelines also state the UN Security Council in an effort Putting the focus on Africa’s EU must encourage and support ac- to bring in a sense of urgency to right to permanent membership tive participation of civil society in the long-stalled reform process. is a strategy for India to break multilateral fora and mechanisms “We must take action so that the decades-long blockade of the in relation to discrimination based Africa is given a central and lead- reform process by a small group on caste (work and descent). ing role in an internationally formed of countries. This group led by The new Guidelines are meant new order especially in a reformed Italy and which includes Pakistan to support the EU’s commitment and expanded Security Council and will be made to directly confront to the UN Sustainable Develop- so that the Council reflects the world African nations, who have de- ment Goals and ‘Leaving no-one of today and not of 1945,” Sanjay manded two permanent seats on behind’, and the EU Council has Rana, Joint Secretary in the Ex- a reformed Council and point to declared that, “The EU will keep ternal Affairs Ministry, said at the the historic injustices done to the working until discrimination, ha- high-level meeting of the General continent. tred and violence will have no more Assembly on Multilateralism and The 55 African nations, who place anywhere.” Diplomacy for Peace. are the single largest group at The International Dalit Solidarity discrimination against members of The effective operationalization “The reform of the peace and the UN making up more than a Network (IDSN)has welcomed the communities based on forms of so- of the Guidelines will be undertak- security pillar of the UN, the Secu- quarter of its membership, do not new EU Human Rights Guidelines cial stratification such as caste and en jointly by the European Union rity Council, has perhaps been the have a permanent member on the on Non-discrimination in External analogous systems of inherited sta- and its Member States. The Council most important and yet stagnating Council Action, where caste is mentioned tus”, and that the EU should, “Par- Working Party on Human Rights several times as a form of discrim- ticipate actively in UN mechanisms (COHOM) will support the imple- ination that must be addressed. and processes dedicated to general mentation while involving, when Every Ambedkar Jayanti, It is specified in the guidelines and specific discrimination related appropriate, other Council working that the term ‘descent’, “includes issues such as … discrimination groups. he launches a book... Ahmedabad-based The writer had Dalit writer and poet dedicated his first Versatile in Indian lawyers among 100 Umesh Solanki cel- book to Ambedkar music and ebrates Ambedkar on April 14, 2017. most influential people Jayanti by releasing a ‘Ferfar’ in Gujarati politics The TIME magazine in its list of Katju. She was also a junior under new book every year. is a research-based 100 most influential people of 2019 senior advocate Sidharth Luthra in So far Solanki has re- novel while the sec- has included two Indian women the Supreme Court. leased three books. ond book, which lawyers -- Menaka Guruswamy Guruswamy is the daughter Solanki said was released a year and Arundhati Katju -- who spear- of Mohan Guruswamy, a well- choosing Ambedkar after, is a collec- headed the legal challenge to strike known political-thinker and ad- Jayanti is his dedi- tion of poems titled down Section 377 of the Indian Pe- viser to former Prime Minister late cation towards the ‘Premkavyo’. nal Code. . father of the Indian Constitution. This jayanti, he released his Katju and Guruswamy rep- Actor Priyanka Chopra wrote “He devoted his life for the nation. third book, ‘Maati’ (Sand) which resented the petitioners against a profile for Katju and Guruswamy He has brought a revolution in so- has bit experimental in a sense Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans has the ban on consensual gay sex in in TIME magazine after it released ciety. I want to give something to it contains life sketches. “It is not had a political career as diverse as the country. The duo highlighted the influential people’s list. the person who has done so many fiction. The stories are about Dalits his music. The BJP has fielded him those who suffered under the law “Arundhati and Menaka have things for our social fabric. I am and Adivasis most of them living from North West Delhi. If he wins by enlisting more than two dozen helped take a giant step for LG- doing my bit for making a better in the tribal belt of the state,” re- the election, he will be one of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans- BTQ+ rights in the world’s largest society,” said the writer. marked Solanki. -DNA BJP’s leading Dalit faces. gender people as co-petitioners. democracy. In their committed Hans joined the BJP in 2016, They contested that people fight for justice, they have shown Academics Condemn ‘Caste after trying his luck in Shiromani risked arrest for publicly identify- us that we as a society must con- (SAD), a BJP ally in Pun- ing themselves as part of the LG- tinue to make progress, even after Discrimination and harassment’ jab, and then the Congress. BTQ community. laws are changed, and that we Four hundred academics, based in This decision raised eyebrows Hans had a tryst with religion Katju is the niece of former must make an effort to understand, 16 countries, have expressed their for a number of reasons. It came in 2006 when he became the head Supreme Court judge Markandey accept and love,” Chopra wrote. solidarity with Subrahmanyam only two months after an inquiry of the Dera Baba Lal Badshah at Saderla, associate professor at the by a retired judge found four sen- Nakodar. But he left in 2015 amid Indian Institute of Technology, ior teachers guilty of violating the controversies. Kanpur, for the “caste-discrimina- university’s conduct rules and the Hans jumped into politics tion and institutional harassment” SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities when he joined SAD in 2009. He he has faced. Act. This was in addition to the was fielded from the Jalandhar con- On March 14, IIT Kanpur said internal inquiry that had found the stituency and he lost. In 2014, he it may revoke Saderla’s PhD on teachers – Eshan Sharma, Sanjay resigned from SAD. In 2016, he ground of ‘plagiarism’. The uni- Mittal, Rajiv Shekhar and C.S. joined the Congress. But soon he versity’s Senate recommended the Upadhyay – guilty. was not feeling at home in the new revocation even though the Aca- The statement supporting Sad- party. The same year, Hans left the demic Ethics Cell had found “no erla has been signed by renowned Congress to join the BJP. reason to revoke the thesis”. academics. For free private circulation